1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to traffic regulations; regulating motorized
1.3 	scooters; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections
1.4 	168.012, subdivision 1; 169.01, by adding a
1.5 	subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
1.6 	Statutes, chapter 169.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 168.012,
1.9 	subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.10 		Subdivision 1.Vehicles exempt from tax, fees, or plate
1.11 	display.  (a) The following vehicles are exempt from the
1.12 	provisions of this chapter requiring payment of tax and
1.13 	registration fees, except as provided in subdivision 1c:
1.14 	(1) vehicles owned and used solely in the transaction of
1.15 	official business by the federal government, the state, or any
1.16 	political subdivision;
1.17 	(2) vehicles owned and used exclusively by educational
1.18 	institutions and used solely in the transportation of pupils to
1.19 	and from those institutions;
1.20 	(3) vehicles used solely in driver education programs at
1.21 	nonpublic high schools;
1.22 	(4) vehicles owned by nonprofit charities and used
1.23 	exclusively to transport disabled persons for educational
1.24 	purposes;
1.25 	(5) ambulances owned by ambulance services licensed under
1.26 	section 144E.10, the general appearance of which is
2.1 	unmistakable; ~~and~~ 
2.2 	(6) motorized scooters as defined in section 169.01,
2.3 	subdivision 4c; and 
2.4 	(7) vehicles owned by a commercial driving school licensed
2.5 	under section 171.34, or an employee of a commercial driving
2.6 	school licensed under section 171.34, and the vehicle is used
2.7 	exclusively for driver education and training.
2.8 	(b) Vehicles owned by the federal government, municipal
2.9 	fire apparatuses including fire-suppression support vehicles,
2.10 	police patrols, and ambulances, the general appearance of which
2.11 	is unmistakable, are not required to register or display number
2.12 	plates.
2.13 	(c) Unmarked vehicles used in general police work, liquor
2.14 	investigations, or arson investigations, and passenger
2.15 	automobiles, pickup trucks, and buses owned or operated by the
2.16 	Department of Corrections, must be registered and must display
2.17 	appropriate license number plates, furnished by the registrar at
2.18 	cost.  Original and renewal applications for these license
2.19 	plates authorized for use in general police work and for use by
2.20 	the Department of Corrections must be accompanied by a
2.21 	certification signed by the appropriate chief of police if
2.22 	issued to a police vehicle, the appropriate sheriff if issued to
2.23 	a sheriff's vehicle, the commissioner of corrections if issued
2.24 	to a Department of Corrections vehicle, or the appropriate
2.25 	officer in charge if issued to a vehicle of any other law
2.26 	enforcement agency.  The certification must be on a form
2.27 	prescribed by the commissioner and state that the vehicle will
2.28 	be used exclusively for a purpose authorized by this section.
2.29 	(d) Unmarked vehicles used by the Departments of Revenue
2.30 	and Labor and Industry, fraud unit, in conducting seizures or
2.31 	criminal investigations must be registered and must display
2.32 	passenger vehicle classification license number plates,
2.33 	furnished at cost by the registrar.  Original and renewal
2.34 	applications for these passenger vehicle license plates must be
2.35 	accompanied by a certification signed by the commissioner of
2.36 	revenue or the commissioner of labor and industry.  The
3.1 	certification must be on a form prescribed by the commissioner
3.2 	and state that the vehicles will be used exclusively for the
3.3 	purposes authorized by this section.
3.4 	(e) Unmarked vehicles used by the Division of Disease
3.5 	Prevention and Control of the Department of Health must be
3.6 	registered and must display passenger vehicle classification
3.7 	license number plates.  These plates must be furnished at cost
3.8 	by the registrar.  Original and renewal applications for these
3.9 	passenger vehicle license plates must be accompanied by a
3.10 	certification signed by the commissioner of health.  The
3.11 	certification must be on a form prescribed by the commissioner
3.12 	and state that the vehicles will be used exclusively for the
3.13 	official duties of the Division of Disease Prevention and
3.14 	Control.
3.15 	(f) Unmarked vehicles used by staff of the Gambling Control
3.16 	Board in gambling investigations and reviews must be registered
3.17 	and must display passenger vehicle classification license number
3.18 	plates.  These plates must be furnished at cost by the
3.19 	registrar.  Original and renewal applications for these
3.20 	passenger vehicle license plates must be accompanied by a
3.21 	certification signed by the board chair.  The certification must
3.22 	be on a form prescribed by the commissioner and state that the
3.23 	vehicles will be used exclusively for the official duties of the
3.24 	Gambling Control Board.
3.25 	(g) All other motor vehicles must be registered and display
3.26 	tax-exempt number plates, furnished by the registrar at cost,
3.27 	except as provided in subdivision 1c.  All vehicles required to
3.28 	display tax-exempt number plates must have the name of the state
3.29 	department or political subdivision, nonpublic high school
3.30 	operating a driver education program, or licensed commercial
3.31 	driving school, plainly displayed on both sides of the vehicle;
3.32 	except that each state hospital and institution for the mentally
3.33 	ill and mentally retarded may have one vehicle without the
3.34 	required identification on the sides of the vehicle, and county
3.35 	social service agencies may have vehicles used for child and
3.36 	vulnerable adult protective services without the required
4.1 	identification on the sides of the vehicle.  This identification
4.2 	must be in a color giving contrast with that of the part of the
4.3 	vehicle on which it is placed and must endure throughout the
4.4 	term of the registration.  The identification must not be on a
4.5 	removable plate or placard and must be kept clean and visible at
4.6 	all times; except that a removable plate or placard may be
4.7 	utilized on vehicles leased or loaned to a political subdivision
4.8 	or to a nonpublic high school driver education program.

4.9 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 169.01, is
4.10 	amended by adding a subdivision to read:
4.11 		Subd. 4c.Motorized scooter. "Motorized scooter" means a
4.12 	device with handlebars that is (1) designed to be stood or sat
4.13 	upon by the operator, (2) powered by an electric motor or
4.14 	internal combustion engine that is capable of propelling the
4.15 	device with or without human propulsion, and (3) capable of a
4.16 	maximum speed of 15 miles per hour on a flat surface with not
4.17 	more than one percent grade in any direction when the motor is
4.18 	engaged.  An electric personal assistive mobility device, a
4.19 	motorized bicycle, an electric-assisted bicycle, or a motorcycle
4.20 	is not a motorized scooter.

4.21 	Sec. 3. [169.225] MOTORIZED SCOOTERS.
4.22 		Subdivision 1.Application of traffic laws. Every person
4.23 	operating a motorized scooter has all rights and duties
4.24 	applicable to the operator of a bicycle, unless contrary to
4.25 	those provisions relating expressly to motorized scooters and
4.26 	except for those provisions of law that by their nature cannot
4.27 	reasonably be applied to motorized scooters.
4.28 		Subd. 2.Sidewalk and passenger prohibition. A person
4.29 	shall not operate a motorized scooter upon a sidewalk, except
4.30 	when necessary to enter or leave adjacent property.  A person
4.31 	shall not operate a motorized scooter that is carrying any
4.32 	person other than the operator.
4.33 		Subd. 3.Minimum age for operator. A person under the
4.34 	age of 15 years shall not operate a motorized scooter on a
4.35 	public road or public right-of-way.
4.36 		Subd. 4.Protective headgear. A person under the age of
5.1 	18 years shall not operate a motorized scooter without wearing
5.2 	properly fitted and fastened protective headgear that complies
5.3 	with standards established by the commissioner of public safety.
5.4 		Subd. 5.Required lighting equipment. A motorized
5.5 	scooter must be equipped with a headlight and a taillight that
5.6 	comply with standards established by the commissioner of public
5.7 	safety if the vehicle is operated under conditions when vehicle
5.8 	lights are required by law.
5.9 		Subd. 6.Operation requirements and prohibitions. (a) A
5.10 	person operating a motorized scooter on a roadway shall ride as
5.11 	close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the
5.12 	roadway, except in the following situations:
5.13 	(1) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding
5.14 	in the same direction;
5.15 	(2) when preparing for a left turn, in which case the
5.16 	operator shall stop and dismount at the right-hand curb or right
5.17 	edge of the roadway, and shall complete the turn by crossing the
5.18 	roadway on foot, subject to restrictions placed by law on
5.19 	pedestrians; or 
5.20 	(3) when reasonably necessary to avoid impediments or
5.21 	conditions that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand
5.22 	curb or edge, including, but not limited to, fixed or moving
5.23 	objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface
5.24 	hazards, or narrow lanes.
5.25 	(b) A person who is 15 years old or older may operate a
5.26 	motorized scooter on a bicycle path, bicycle lane, bicycle
5.27 	trail, or bikeway that is not reserved for the exclusive use of
5.28 	nonmotorized traffic, unless the local authority or governing
5.29 	body having jurisdiction over that path, lane, trail, or bikeway
5.30 	prohibits operation by law.