1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to motor vehicles; exempting utility-owned 
  1.3             vehicles from certain weight restrictions; amending 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes 1998, sections 169.825, by adding a 
  1.5             subdivision; and 169.87, by adding subdivisions. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 169.825, is 
  1.8   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 17.  [APPLICATION TO UTILITY VEHICLE.] This section 
  1.10  does not apply to a utility vehicle that does not exceed a 
  1.11  weight of 20,000 pounds per axle and is owned by (1) a public 
  1.12  utility, as defined in section 216B.02, (2) a municipality or 
  1.13  municipal utility that operates the vehicle for its municipal 
  1.14  electric, gas, or water system, or (3) a cooperative electric 
  1.15  association organized under chapter 308A. 
  1.16     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 169.87, is 
  1.17  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.18     Subd. 5.  [UTILITY VEHICLES.] Weight restrictions imposed 
  1.19  by the commissioner under subdivision 1 do not apply to a 
  1.20  two-axle or three-axle utility vehicle that does not exceed a 
  1.21  weight of 20,000 pounds per single axle and 36,000 pounds gross 
  1.22  vehicle weight for a two-axle vehicle or 48,000 pounds gross 
  1.23  vehicle weight for a three-axle vehicle, if the vehicle is owned 
  1.24  by (1) a public utility as defined in section 216B.02, (2) a 
  1.25  municipality or municipal utility that operates the vehicle for 
  2.1   its municipal electric, gas, or water system, or (3) a 
  2.2   cooperative electric association organized under chapter 308A.  
  2.3   The exemption in this subdivision applies only when the vehicle 
  2.4   is performing service restoration or other work necessary to 
  2.5   prevent an imminent loss of service. 
  2.6      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 169.87, is 
  2.7   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.8      Subd. 6.  [RECYCLING VEHICLES.] Weight restrictions imposed 
  2.9   under subdivisions 1 and 2 do not apply to a vehicle that does 
  2.10  not exceed 20,000 pounds per single axle while engaged in 
  2.11  recycling. 
  2.12     Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.13     Sections 1 to 3 are effective the day after final enactment 
  2.14  and are repealed June 1, 2003.