Minnesota Session Laws - 1990, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1990 

                        CHAPTER 482-S.F.No. 1729 
           An act relating to traffic regulations; requiring 
          motorists to activate vehicle lights during inclement 
          weather conditions; providing that violation is not 
          negligence per se or prima facie evidence of 
          negligence; regulating handicapped parking; 
          prohibiting citation quotas; amending Minnesota 
          Statutes 1988, sections 169.346, subdivision 2; and 
          169.48; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
          Statutes, chapter 169. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1988, section 169.48, is 
amended to read: 
    169.48 [VEHICLE LIGHTING.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [LIGHTS TO BE DISPLAYED.] Every vehicle 
upon a highway within this state,: 
    (1) at any time from sunset to sunrise; 
    (2) at any time when it is raining, snowing, sleeting, or 
hailing; and 
    (3) at any other time when visibility is impaired by 
weather, smoke, fog or other conditions or there is not 
sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and 
vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead, shall 
display lighted lamps and illuminating devices, as hereinafter, 
respectively, required for different classes of vehicles, 
subject to exceptions with respect to parked vehicles, as 
hereinafter stated.  In addition to the other requirements of 
this paragraph, every school bus transporting children upon a 
highway within this state, at any time from a half hour before 
sunrise to a half hour after sunset, shall display lighted lamps 
and illuminating devices as required by this paragraph, except 
that the operator shall use the lower most distribution of light 
specified in section 169.60 unless conditions warrant otherwise. 
    When requirement is hereinafter declared as to the distance 
from which certain lamps and devices shall render objects 
visible or within which such lamps or devices shall be visible, 
these provisions shall apply during the time stated in this 
section upon a straight level unlighted highway under normal 
atmospheric conditions unless a different time or condition is 
expressly stated and unless otherwise specified the location of 
lamps and devices shall refer to the center of such lamps or 
devices.  Parking lamps shall not be used in lieu of head lamps 
to satisfy the requirements of this section. 
    Subd. 2.  [CERTAIN VIOLATIONS; NEGLIGENCE.] Notwithstanding 
section 169.96, a violation of subdivision 1, clause (2), is not 
negligence per se or prima facie evidence of negligence. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1988, section 169.346, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 2.  [SIGNS; PARKING SPACES TO BE FREE OF 
OBSTRUCTIONS.] (a) Handicapped parking spaces must be designated 
and identified by the posting of signs incorporating the 
international symbol of access in white on blue and indicating 
that the parking space is reserved for handicapped persons with 
vehicles displaying the required certificate, license plates, or 
insignia, and indicating that violators are subject to a fine of 
up to $200.  A sign posted for the purpose of this section must 
be visible from inside a vehicle parked in the space, be kept 
clear of snow or other obstructions which block its visibility, 
and be nonmovable or only movable by authorized persons. 
    (b) The owner or manager of the property on which the 
designated parking space is located shall ensure that the space 
is kept free of obstruction.  If the owner or manager allows the 
space to be blocked by snow, merchandise, or similar 
obstructions for 24 hours after receiving a warning from a peace 
officer, the owner or manager is guilty of a misdemeanor and 
subject to a fine of up to $500. 
    Sec. 3.  [169.985] [TRAFFIC CITATION QUOTAS PROHIBITED.] 
    A law enforcement agency may not order, mandate, require, 
or suggest to a peace officer a quota for the issuance of 
traffic citations on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or 
yearly basis. 
    Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
    Section 2 is effective November 15, 1990. 
    Presented to the governor April 24, 1990 
    Signed by the governor April 26, 1990, 10:45 p.m.