Minnesota Session Laws - 1999, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 106-S.F.No. 303 
                  An act relating to civil actions; clarifying 
                  admissibility of evidence regarding seat belts and 
                  child passenger restraint systems in certain actions; 
                  amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 169.685, 
                  subdivision 4. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 169.685, 
        subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 4.  [ADMISSIBILITY INTO EVIDENCE.] (a) Except as 
        provided in paragraph (b), proof of the use or failure to use 
        seat belts or a child passenger restraint system as described in 
        subdivision 5, or proof of the installation or failure of 
        installation of seat belts or a child passenger restraint system 
        as described in subdivision 5 shall not be admissible in 
        evidence in any litigation involving personal injuries or 
        property damage resulting from the use or operation of any motor 
        vehicle. 
           (b) Paragraph (a) does not affect the right of a person to 
        bring an action for damages arising out of an incident that 
        involves a defectively designed, manufactured, installed, or 
        operating seat belt or child passenger restraint system.  
        Paragraph (a) does not prohibit the introduction of evidence 
        pertaining to the use of a seat belt or child passenger 
        restraint system in an action described in this paragraph. 
           Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION.] 
           Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment 
        and applies to actions pending on or commenced on or after the 
        effective date. 
           Presented to the governor April 23, 1999 
           Vetoed by the governor April 27, 1999, 5:15 p.m. 
           Reconsidered and approved by the legislature after the 
        governor's veto May 17, 1999