1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to traffic regulations; authorizing private 
  1.3             vehicle escorting funeral procession to use flashing 
  1.4             red lights and to access traffic control signal 
  1.5             override system; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, 
  1.6             sections 169.04; 169.06, by adding a subdivision; 
  1.7             169.64, subdivision 3. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.04, is 
  1.10  amended to read: 
  1.11     169.04 [LOCAL AUTHORITY.] 
  1.12     (a) The provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to 
  1.13  prevent local authorities, with respect to streets and highways 
  1.14  under their jurisdiction, and with the consent of the 
  1.15  commissioner, with respect to state trunk highways, within the 
  1.16  corporate limits of a municipality, or within the limits of a 
  1.17  town in a county in this state now having or which may hereafter 
  1.18  have, a population of 500,000 or more, and a land area of not 
  1.19  more than 600 square miles, and within the reasonable exercise 
  1.20  of the police power from: 
  1.21     (1) regulating the standing or parking of vehicles; 
  1.22     (2) regulating traffic by means of police officers or 
  1.23  traffic-control signals; 
  1.24     (3) regulating or prohibiting processions or assemblages on 
  1.25  the highways; 
  1.26     (4) designating particular highways as one-way roadways and 
  2.1   requiring that all vehicles, except emergency vehicles, when on 
  2.2   an emergency run, thereon be moved in one specific direction; 
  2.3      (5) designating any highway as a through highway and 
  2.4   requiring that all vehicles stop before entering or crossing the 
  2.5   same, or designating any intersection as a stop intersection, 
  2.6   and requiring all vehicles to stop at one or more entrances to 
  2.7   such intersections; 
  2.8      (6) restricting the use of highways as authorized in 
  2.9   sections 169.80 to 169.88.  
  2.10     (b) No ordinance or regulation enacted under paragraph (a), 
  2.11  clause (4), (5), or (6), shall be effective until signs giving 
  2.12  notice of such local traffic regulations are posted upon and 
  2.13  kept posted upon or at the entrance to the highway or part 
  2.14  thereof affected as may be most appropriate.  
  2.15     (c) No ordinance or regulation enacted under paragraph (a), 
  2.16  clause (3), or any other provision of law shall prohibit:  
  2.17     (1) the use of motorcycles utilizing flashing red lights 
  2.18  for the purpose of escorting funeral processions, oversize 
  2.19  buildings, heavy equipment, parades or similar processions or 
  2.20  assemblages on the highways; or 
  2.21     (2) the use of motorcycles or vehicles that are owned by 
  2.22  the funeral home and that utilize flashing red lights for the 
  2.23  purpose of escorting funeral processions.  
  2.24     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.06, is 
  2.25  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.26     Subd. 5b.  [ACCESS TO TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNAL OVERRIDE 
  2.27  SYSTEM.] A road authority shall allow a funeral home access to 
  2.28  its traffic control signal override system for vehicles owned by 
  2.29  the funeral home, on the same terms and conditions as emergency 
  2.30  vehicles.  A driver of a funeral home vehicle may use the 
  2.31  override system only in the course of escorting a funeral 
  2.32  procession. 
  2.33     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.64, 
  2.34  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  2.35     Subd. 3.  [FLASHING LIGHTS.] Flashing lights are 
  2.36  prohibited, except on an authorized emergency vehicle, school 
  3.1   bus, bicycle as provided in section 169.222, subdivision 6, road 
  3.2   maintenance equipment, tow truck or towing vehicle, service 
  3.3   vehicle, farm tractors, self-propelled farm equipment, rural 
  3.4   mail carrier vehicle, funeral home vehicle, or on any vehicle as 
  3.5   a means of indicating a right or left turn, or the presence of a 
  3.6   vehicular traffic hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, 
  3.7   overtaking or passing.  All flashing warning lights shall be of 
  3.8   the type authorized by section 169.59, subdivision 4, unless 
  3.9   otherwise permitted or required in this chapter.