Minnesota Session Laws - 1993, Regular Session

  
    Laws of Minnesota 1993 

                        CHAPTER 142-H.F.No. 854 
           An act relating to drivers' licenses; clarifying 
          requirement of endorsement for special transportation 
          service drivers within the metropolitan area; 
          abolishing examination requirement and certain fees 
          for special transportation service drivers; amending 
          Minnesota Statutes 1992, sections 171.02, subdivision 
          2; 171.10, subdivision 2; and 171.13, subdivision 5; 
          repealing Minnesota Statutes 1992, sections 171.01, 
          subdivision 24; and 171.323.  
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1992, section 171.02, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 2.  [DRIVER'S LICENSE CLASSIFICATIONS, ENDORSEMENTS, 
EXEMPTIONS.] Drivers' licenses shall be classified according to 
the types of vehicles which may be driven by the holder of each 
type or class of license.  The commissioner may, as appropriate, 
subdivide the classes listed in this subdivision and issue 
licenses classified accordingly.  No class of license shall be 
valid to operate a motorcycle, school bus, special 
transportation service vehicle, tank vehicle, double-trailer or 
triple-trailer combination, vehicle transporting hazardous 
materials, or bus, unless so endorsed.  
    There shall be four general classes of licenses as follows: 
    (a) Class C; valid for: 
    (1) all farm trucks operated by (i) the owner, (ii) an 
immediate family member of the owner, (iii) an employee of the 
owner not primarily employed to operate the farm truck, within 
150 miles of the farm, or (iv) an employee of the owner employed 
during harvest to operate the farm truck for the first, 
continuous transportation of agricultural products from the 
production site or on-farm storage site to any other location 
within 50 miles of that site; 
    (2) fire trucks and emergency fire equipment, whether or 
not in excess of 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, operated by 
a firefighter while on duty, or a tiller operator employed by a 
fire department who drives the rear portion of a midmount aerial 
ladder truck; 
    (3) recreational equipment as defined in section 168.011, 
subdivision 25, that is operated for personal use; and 
    (4) all single unit vehicles except vehicles with a gross 
vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds, vehicles designed to 
carry more than 15 passengers including the driver, and vehicles 
that carry hazardous materials; and 
    (5) with a special transportation service vehicle 
endorsement, operating a motor vehicle providing special 
transportation service. 
    The holder of a class C license may also tow vehicles if 
the combination of vehicles has a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 
pounds or less. 
    (b) Class CC; valid for:  
    (1) operating class C vehicles; 
    (2) with a hazardous materials endorsement, transporting 
hazardous materials in class C vehicles; and 
    (3) with a school bus endorsement, operating school buses 
designed to transport 15 or fewer passengers, including the 
driver. 
    (c) Class B; valid for all vehicles in class C, class CC, 
and all other single unit vehicles including, with a passenger 
endorsement, buses. 
    (d) Class A; valid for any vehicle or combination thereof. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1992, section 171.10, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 2.  [ENDORSEMENTS ADDED.] Any person, after applying 
for or receiving a driver's license and prior to the expiration 
year of the license, who wishes to have a motorcycle, school 
bus, special transportation service vehicle, tank vehicle, 
passenger, double-trailer or triple-trailer, or hazardous 
materials vehicle endorsement added to the license, shall, after 
taking the necessary examination, apply for a duplicate license 
and make payment of the proper fee. 
    Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1992, section 171.13, 
subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 5.  [EXAMINATION FEE FOR VEHICLE ENDORSEMENT.] Any 
person applying to secure a motorcycle, school bus, special 
transportation service vehicle, tank vehicle, passenger, 
double-trailer or triple-trailer, or hazardous materials vehicle 
endorsement on the person's driver's license shall pay a $2.50 
examination fee at the place of application. 
     Sec. 4.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1992, sections 171.01, subdivision 24; 
and 171.323, are repealed. 
    Presented to the governor May 11, 1993 
    Signed by the governor May 13, 1993, 2:55 p.m.