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299C.37 POLICE COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT; USE, SALE.
    Subdivision 1. Use regulated. (a) No person other than peace officers within the state,
the members of the State Patrol, and persons who hold an amateur radio license issued by the
Federal Communications Commission, shall equip any motor vehicle with any radio equipment
or combination of equipment, capable of receiving any radio signal, message, or information
from any police emergency frequency, or install, use, or possess the equipment in a motor
vehicle without permission from the superintendent of the bureau upon a form prescribed by the
superintendent. An amateur radio license holder is not entitled to exercise the privilege granted by
this paragraph if the license holder has been convicted in this state or elsewhere of a crime of
violence, as defined in section 624.712, subdivision 5, unless ten years have elapsed since the
person has been restored to civil rights or the sentence has expired, whichever occurs first, and
during that time the person has not been convicted of any other crime of violence. For purposes
of this section, "crime of violence" includes a crime in another state or jurisdiction that would
have been a crime of violence if it had been committed in this state. Radio equipment installed,
used, or possessed as permitted by this paragraph must be under the direct control of the license
holder whenever it is used. A person who is designated in writing by the chief law enforcement
officer of a political subdivision issued a permit under subdivision 3 may use and possess radio
equipment while in the course and scope of duties or employment without also having to obtain
an individual permit.
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c), any person who is convicted of a violation of this
subdivision shall, upon conviction for the first offense, be guilty of a misdemeanor, and for the
second and subsequent offenses shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
(c) An amateur radio license holder who exercises the privilege granted by paragraph (a)
shall carry the amateur radio license in the motor vehicle at all times and shall present the license
to a peace officer on request. A violation of this paragraph is a petty misdemeanor. A second or
subsequent violation is a misdemeanor.
    Subd. 2.[Repealed, 1971 c 71 s 2]
    Subd. 3. Permit. The superintendent of the bureau shall, upon written application, issue
a written permit, which shall be nontransferable, to a person, firm, political subdivision, or
corporation showing good cause to use radio equipment capable of receiving a police emergency
frequency, as a necessity, in the lawful pursuit of a business, trade, or occupation.
    Subd. 4.[Repealed, 1983 c 293 s 115]
History: (9950-48) 1935 c 195 s 8; 1961 c 661 s 1; 1965 c 721 s 1; 1981 c 37 s 2; 1983 c
293 s 91; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 191 s 1; 2003 c 121 s 1,2

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes