1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to motor vehicles; authorizing issuance of 
  1.3             special license plates for alternative-fuel, 
  1.4             flexible-fuel, and hybrid vehicles; allowing vehicles 
  1.5             with such plates to be operated in high-occupancy 
  1.6             vehicle lanes; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, 
  1.7             section 168.12, by adding a subdivision; proposing 
  1.8             coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 161. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  [161.1235] [HOV LANE USE BY VEHICLES DISPLAYING 
  1.11  ALTERNATIVE-FUEL, FLEXIBLE-FUEL, OR HYBRID PLATES.] 
  1.12     The commissioner of transportation shall by order permit 
  1.13  the operation of passenger vehicles bearing alternative-fuel, 
  1.14  flexible-fuel, or hybrid vehicle license plates issued under 
  1.15  Minnesota Statutes, section 168.12, subdivision 2g, in 
  1.16  high-occupancy vehicle lanes on interstate highways and other 
  1.17  trunk highways that are otherwise restricted to vehicles with 
  1.18  two or more occupants. 
  1.19     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.12, is 
  1.20  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.21     Subd. 2g.  [ALTERNATIVE-FUEL, FLEXIBLE-FUEL, AND HYBRID 
  1.22  VEHICLES; SPECIAL PLATES.] (a) The registrar shall issue special 
  1.23  license plates to an applicant who owns or jointly owns a 
  1.24  passenger vehicle that is taxed as a passenger automobile and is 
  1.25  an alternative-fuel, flexible-fuel, or hybrid vehicle.  The 
  1.26  registrar shall issue the special plates on payment of the 
  1.27  registration tax required by law for the vehicle, compliance 
  2.1   with all other applicable laws relating to registration and 
  2.2   licensing of motor vehicles and drivers, and payment of an 
  2.3   additional fee of $10.  The registrar shall not issue more than 
  2.4   one set of these plates for any one vehicle.  Notwithstanding 
  2.5   section 168.12, subdivision 1, on payment of a transfer fee of 
  2.6   $5, plates issued under this subdivision may be transferred to 
  2.7   another eligible vehicle owned or jointly owned by the person to 
  2.8   whom the plates were originally issued, or the plate may be 
  2.9   assigned to another owner. 
  2.10     (b) License plates issued under this subdivision may only 
  2.11  be placed on a vehicle described in paragraph (a). 
  2.12     (c) The commissioner may adopt rules governing the design, 
  2.13  issuance, and sale of the special plates authorized by this 
  2.14  subdivision.  The rules must provide that each type of vehicle 
  2.15  described in paragraph (a) must have a distinctive design or 
  2.16  symbol. 
  2.17     (d) For purposes of this subdivision: 
  2.18     (1) "Alternative-fuel vehicle" is a vehicle fueled 
  2.19  exclusively by methanol, denatured ethanol, and other alcohols; 
  2.20  E-85 or M-85; liquified or compressed natural gas; liquefied 
  2.21  petroleum gas; hydrogen; coal-derived liquid fuels; fuels other 
  2.22  than alcohol derived from biological materials; or electricity, 
  2.23  including electricity from solar energy. 
  2.24     (2) "Flexible-fuel vehicle" is a vehicle that is fueled by 
  2.25  either gasoline or E-85. 
  2.26     (3) "Hybrid vehicle" is a vehicle that is powered by either 
  2.27  gasoline or electricity.