1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; authorizing issuance of 
  1.3             permits for 12-foot wide loads of baled straw; 
  1.4             changing classification and endorsement requirements 
  1.5             to operate a vehicle carrying liquid fertilizer; 
  1.6             amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, sections 169.851, 
  1.7             subdivision 1; 169.862; and 171.02, subdivision 2a. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 169.851, 
  1.10  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.11     Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] For the purposes of this 
  1.12  section and sections 169.862, 169.871, and 169.872, the terms 
  1.13  defined in subdivisions 2 and 3 have the meanings given to them. 
  1.14     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 169.862, is 
  1.15  amended to read: 
  1.16     169.862 [PERMITS FOR WIDE LOADS OF BALED AGRICULTURAL 
  1.17  PRODUCTS.] 
  1.18     The commissioner of transportation with respect to highways 
  1.19  under the commissioner's jurisdiction, and local authorities 
  1.20  with respect to highways under their jurisdiction, may issue an 
  1.21  annual permit to enable a vehicle carrying round bales of hay, 
  1.22  straw, or cornstalks, with a total outside width of the vehicle 
  1.23  or the load not exceeding 11-1/2 feet, to be operated on public 
  1.24  streets and highways.  The commissioner of transportation and 
  1.25  local authorities may issue an annual permit to enable a 
  1.26  vehicle, having a maximum width of 102 inches, carrying a first 
  2.1   haul of square bales of straw, each bale having a minimum size 
  2.2   of four feet by four feet by eight feet, with a total outside 
  2.3   width of the load not exceeding 12 feet, to be operated on 
  2.4   public streets and highways between August 1 and December 1 
  2.5   within 35 miles of the border between this state and the state 
  2.6   of North Dakota.  The commissioner of transportation and local 
  2.7   authorities may issue an annual permit to enable a vehicle 
  2.8   carrying square bales of hay, each with an outside dimension of 
  2.9   not less than three feet by four feet by seven feet, with a 
  2.10  total height of the loaded vehicle not exceeding 15 feet, to be 
  2.11  operated on those public streets and highways designated in the 
  2.12  permit.  Permits issued under this section are governed by the 
  2.13  applicable provisions of section 169.86 except as otherwise 
  2.14  provided herein and, in addition, carry the following 
  2.15  restrictions:  
  2.16     (a) The vehicles may not be operated between sunset and 
  2.17  sunrise, when visibility is impaired by weather, fog, or other 
  2.18  conditions rendering persons and vehicles not clearly visible at 
  2.19  a distance of 500 feet, or on Sunday from noon until sunset, or 
  2.20  on the days the following holidays are observed:  New Year's 
  2.21  Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving 
  2.22  Day, and Christmas Day.  
  2.23     (b) The vehicles may not be operated on interstate highways.
  2.24     (c) The vehicles may not be operated on a trunk highway 
  2.25  with a pavement less than 24 feet wide.  
  2.26     (d) A vehicle operated under the permit must be equipped 
  2.27  with a retractable or removable mirror on the left side so 
  2.28  located that it will reflect to the driver a clear view of the 
  2.29  highway for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of the 
  2.30  vehicle.  
  2.31     (e) A vehicle operated under the permit must display red, 
  2.32  orange, or yellow flags, 18 inches square, as markers at the 
  2.33  front and rear and on both sides of the load.  The load must be 
  2.34  securely bound to the transporting vehicle.  
  2.35     (f) Farm vehicles not for hire carrying round baled hay 
  2.36  less than 20 miles are exempt from the requirement to obtain a 
  3.1   permit.  All other requirements of this section apply to 
  3.2   vehicles transporting round baled hay. 
  3.3      The fee for the permit is $24. 
  3.4      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.02, 
  3.5   subdivision 2a, is amended to read: 
  3.6      Subd. 2a.  [~~EXCEPTION TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ENDORSEMENT~~ 
  3.7   EXCEPTIONS.] Notwithstanding subdivision 2, (1) a hazardous 
  3.8   materials endorsement is not required to operate a vehicle 
  3.9   having a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or less while 
  3.10  carrying in bulk tanks a total of not more than 200 gallons of 
  3.11  petroleum products and (2) a class CC license or hazardous 
  3.12  materials endorsement is not required to operate a farm vehicle 
  3.13  as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section 
  3.14  390.5, having a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or less 
  3.15  while carrying in bulk tanks a total of not more than 1,500 
  3.16  gallons of liquid fertilizer. 
  3.17     Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.18     Section 3 is effective the day following final enactment.