Minnesota Session Laws - 1992, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1992 

                        CHAPTER 573-S.F.No. 2233 
           An act relating to natural resources; establishing 
          liability standards for recipients of trail assistance 
          program funds; exempting snowmobile testing activities 
          from applicable speed limits under certain conditions; 
          allowing the use of snowmobiles on certain 
          conservation lands unless prohibited by rule of the 
          commissioner of natural resources; allowing towing of 
          persons with personal watercraft equipped with 
          rearview mirrors; amending Minnesota Statutes 1990, 
          sections 84.83, by adding a subdivision; 84.87, by 
          adding a subdivision; and 84A.55, by adding a 
          subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 1991 Supplement, 
          section 86B.313, subdivision 1. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1990, section 84.83, is 
amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
    Subd. 4.  [PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO FUNDING RECIPIENTS.] 
Recipients of Minnesota trail assistance program funds must be 
afforded the same protection and be held to the same standard of 
liability as a political subdivision under chapter 466 for 
activities associated with the administration, design, 
construction, maintenance, and grooming of snowmobile trails. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1990, section 84.87, is amended 
by adding a subdivision to read: 
    Subd. 2c.  [APPLICATION OF SPEED LIMITS TO TESTING 
ACTIVITIES.] (a) A speed limit established by the commissioner 
in rules adopted under section 84.86 does not apply to a 
snowmobile that is being operated as part of a testing program 
established by a snowmobile manufacturer if: 
    (1) the snowmobile is operated for testing purposes by a 
driver employed by the snowmobile manufacturer; 
    (2) the snowmobile is clearly marked as a test machine; and 
    (3) the snowmobile is operated in compliance with all other 
applicable laws and rules. 
    (b) A card containing a photograph of the driver and 
identifying the driver as a test driver for the manufacturer 
must be in the driver's possession at all times when the 
snowmobile is being operated at a speed in excess of the limit 
established by the commissioner under section 84.86. 
    Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1990, section 84A.55, is 
amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
    Subd. 7a.  [SNOWMOBILES ON CERTAIN LANDS.] Unless 
specifically prohibited by a rule of the commissioner, 
snowmobiles may be operated on lands subject to this section 
that have been identified by the commissioner as wildlife 
management areas. 
     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1991 Supplement, section 
86B.313, subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.] In addition to 
requirements of other laws relating to watercraft, it is 
unlawful to operate or to permit the operation of a personal 
watercraft: 
    (1) without each person on board the personal watercraft 
wearing a United States Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III, or 
V personal flotation device; 
    (2) between sunset and 8:00 a.m.; 
    (3) within 100 feet of a shoreline, dock, swimmer, or 
swimming diving raft or a moored, anchored, or nonmotorized 
watercraft at greater than slow-no wake speed; 
    (4) while towing a person on water skis, a kneeboard, an 
inflatable craft, or any other device unless: 
    (i) an observer is on board; or 
    (ii) the personal watercraft is equipped with 
factory-installed or factory specified replacement mirrors that 
are integrated into the body design of the watercraft and give 
the operator a wide field of vision to the rear; 
    (5) without the lanyard-type engine cutoff switch being 
attached to the person, clothing, or personal flotation device 
of the operator, if the personal watercraft is equipped by the 
manufacturer with such a device; 
    (6) if any part of the spring-loaded throttle mechanism has 
been removed, altered, or tampered with so as to interfere with 
the return-to-idle system; 
    (7) to chase or harass wildlife; 
    (8) through emergent or floating vegetation at other than a 
slow-no wake speed; 
    (9) in a manner that unreasonably or unnecessarily 
endangers life, limb, or property, including weaving through 
congested watercraft traffic, jumping the wake of another 
watercraft within 100 feet of the other watercraft; or 
    (10) in any other manner that is not reasonable and prudent.
    Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
    Sections 2 and 4 are effective the day following final 
enactment. 
    Presented to the governor April 17, 1992 
    Signed by the governor April 27, 1992, 2:10 p.m.