Minnesota Session Laws - 2000, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 287-S.F.No. 2813 
                  An act relating to motor vehicles; modifying how state 
                  vehicles are identified; amending Minnesota Statutes 
                  1999 Supplement, section 168.012, subdivision 1. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
        168.012, subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
           Subdivision 1.  [VEHICLES EXEMPT FROM TAX AND REGISTRATION 
        FEES.] (a) The following vehicles are exempt from the provisions 
        of this chapter requiring payment of tax and registration fees, 
        except as provided in subdivision 1c:  
           (1) vehicles owned and used solely in the transaction of 
        official business by the federal government, the state, or any 
        political subdivision; 
           (2) vehicles owned and used exclusively by educational 
        institutions and used solely in the transportation of pupils to 
        and from such institutions; 
           (3) vehicles used solely in driver education programs at 
        nonpublic high schools; 
           (4) vehicles owned by nonprofit charities and used 
        exclusively to transport disabled persons for educational 
        purposes; 
           (5) vehicles owned and used by honorary consul; 
           (6) ambulances owned by ambulance services licensed under 
        section 144E.10, the general appearance of which is 
        unmistakable; and 
           (7) vehicles owned by a commercial driving school licensed 
        under section 171.34 and used exclusively for driver education 
        and training. 
           (b) Vehicles owned by the federal government, municipal 
        fire apparatuses including fire-suppression support vehicles, 
        police patrols and ambulances, the general appearance of which 
        is unmistakable, shall not be required to register or display 
        number plates.  
           (c) Unmarked vehicles used in general police work, liquor 
        investigations, arson investigations, and passenger automobiles, 
        pickup trucks, and buses owned or operated by the department of 
        corrections shall be registered and shall display appropriate 
        license number plates which shall be furnished by the registrar 
        at cost.  Original and renewal applications for these license 
        plates authorized for use in general police work and for use by 
        the department of corrections must be accompanied by a 
        certification signed by the appropriate chief of police if 
        issued to a police vehicle, the appropriate sheriff if issued to 
        a sheriff's vehicle, the commissioner of corrections if issued 
        to a department of corrections vehicle, or the appropriate 
        officer in charge if issued to a vehicle of any other law 
        enforcement agency.  The certification must be on a form 
        prescribed by the commissioner and state that the vehicle will 
        be used exclusively for a purpose authorized by this section.  
           (d) Unmarked vehicles used by the departments of revenue 
        and labor and industry, fraud unit, in conducting seizures or 
        criminal investigations must be registered and must display 
        passenger vehicle classification license number plates which 
        shall be furnished at cost by the registrar.  Original and 
        renewal applications for these passenger vehicle license plates 
        must be accompanied by a certification signed by the 
        commissioner of revenue or the commissioner of labor and 
        industry.  The certification must be on a form prescribed by the 
        commissioner and state that the vehicles will be used 
        exclusively for the purposes authorized by this section. 
           (e) Unmarked vehicles used by the division of disease 
        prevention and control of the department of health must be 
        registered and must display passenger vehicle classification 
        license number plates.  These plates must be furnished at cost 
        by the registrar.  Original and renewal applications for these 
        passenger vehicle license plates must be accompanied by a 
        certification signed by the commissioner of health.  The 
        certification must be on a form prescribed by the commissioner 
        and state that the vehicles will be used exclusively for the 
        official duties of the division of disease prevention and 
        control.  
           (f) All other motor vehicles shall be registered and 
        display tax-exempt number plates which shall be furnished by the 
        registrar at cost, except as provided in subdivision 1c.  All 
        vehicles required to display tax-exempt number plates shall have 
        the name of the state department or political subdivision, 
        nonpublic high school operating a driver education program, or 
        licensed commercial driving school, on the vehicle plainly 
        displayed on both sides thereof in letters not less than 2-1/2 
        inches high and one-half inch wide; except that each state 
        hospital and institution for the mentally ill and mentally 
        retarded may have one vehicle without the required 
        identification on the sides of the vehicle, and county social 
        service agencies may have vehicles used for child and vulnerable 
        adult protective services without the required identification on 
        the sides of the vehicle.  Such identification shall be in a 
        color giving contrast with that of the part of the vehicle on 
        which it is placed and shall endure throughout the term of the 
        registration.  The identification must not be on a removable 
        plate or placard and shall be kept clean and visible at all 
        times; except that a removable plate or placard may be utilized 
        on vehicles leased or loaned to a political subdivision or to a 
        nonpublic high school driver education program. 
           Presented to the governor March 23, 2000 
           Signed by the governor March 27, 2000, 2:40 p.m.