| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to public safety; increasing speed limit for implements of husbandry to |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 35 miles per hour; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 169.50, subdivision |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 1; 169.522, subdivision 1; 169.801, subdivision 6; 169.81, subdivision 5b. |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | 1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 169.50, subdivision 1, is amended to read: |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Subdivision 1.Requirements; exception.(a) Every motor vehicle and every vehicle |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | 1.8that is being drawn at the end of a train of vehicles must be equipped with at least one tail |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | 1.9lamp, exhibiting a red light plainly visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear. |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | 1.10 (b) Every motor vehicle, other than a truck-tractor, and every vehicle that is being drawn |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | 1.11at the end of a train of vehicles, registered in this state and manufactured or assembled after |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | 1.12January 1, 1960, must be equipped with at least two tail lamps mounted on the rear and on |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | 1.13the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable. When lighted, the tail lamps |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | 1.14must comply with the provisions of this section. |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | 1.15 (c) An implement of husbandry being towed by a motor vehicle at a speed of not more |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | 1.16than 30 35 miles per hour, displaying a slow-moving vehicle emblem, and complying with |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | 1.17section 169.55, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (4), is not subject to the requirements |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | 1.18of this section. |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | 1.19 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 169.522, subdivision 1, is amended to read: |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 Subdivision 1.Displaying emblem; rules.(a) All animal-drawn vehicles, motorized |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | 1.21golf carts when operated on designated roadways pursuant to section 169.045, implements |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | 1.22of husbandry, and other machinery, including all road construction machinery, which are |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | 1Sec. 2. |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | REVISOR EB/VJ 25-0043311/15/24 |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | State of Minnesota |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | This Document can be made available |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | in alternative formats upon request |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | H. F. No. 739 |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | Authored by Olson02/13/2025 |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Transportation Finance and Policy 2.1designed for operation at a speed of 30 35 miles per hour or less, must display a triangular |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | 2.2slow-moving vehicle emblem, except (1) when being used in actual construction and |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | 2.3maintenance work and traveling within the limits of a construction area marked in accordance |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | 2.4with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, as set forth in section 169.06, or (2) |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | 2.5for a towed implement of husbandry that is empty and that is not self-propelled, in which |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | 2.6case it may be towed at lawful speeds greater than 30 35 miles per hour without removing |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | 2.7the slow-moving vehicle emblem. The emblem must consist of a fluorescent or illuminated |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 2.8red-orange triangle with a dark red reflective border and be mounted so as to be visible from |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | 2.9a distance of not less than 600 feet to the rear. When a primary power unit towing an |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | 2.10implement of husbandry or other machinery displays a slow-moving vehicle emblem visible |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | 2.11from a distance of 600 feet to the rear, it is not necessary to display a similar emblem on |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | 2.12the secondary unit. All slow-moving vehicle emblems sold in this state must be so designed |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | 2.13that when properly mounted they are visible from a distance of not less than 600 feet to the |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | 2.14rear when directly in front of lawful lower beam of headlamps on a motor vehicle. The |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | 2.15commissioner of public safety shall adopt standards and specifications for the design and |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | 2.16position of mounting the slow-moving vehicle emblem. Such standards and specifications |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | 2.17must be adopted by rule in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | 2.18 (b) An alternate slow-moving vehicle emblem consisting of a dull black triangle with a |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | 2.19white reflective border may be used after obtaining a permit from the commissioner under |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | 2.20rules of the commissioner. A person with a permit to use an alternate slow-moving vehicle |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | 2.21emblem must: |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | 2.22 (1) carry in the vehicle a regular slow-moving vehicle emblem and display the emblem |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | 2.23when operating a vehicle between sunset and sunrise, and at any other time when visibility |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | 2.24is impaired by weather, smoke, fog, or other conditions; and |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | 2.25 (2) permanently affix to the rear of the slow-moving vehicle at least 72 square inches |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | 2.26of reflective tape that reflects the color red. |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | 2.27 (c) In addition to the emblem requirement under this subdivision, an animal-drawn |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | 2.28vehicle must comply with section 169.58, subdivision 6. |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | 2.29 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 169.801, subdivision 6, is amended to read: |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | 2.30 Subd. 6.Speed.No person may operate or tow an implement of husbandry at a speed |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | 2.31of more than 30 35 miles per hour. |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | 2Sec. 3. |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | REVISOR EB/VJ 25-0043311/15/24 3.1 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 169.81, subdivision 5b, is amended to read: |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | 3.2 Subd. 5b.Securing load; exceptions.(a) The driver of a vehicle transporting sand, |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | 3.3gravel, aggregate, dirt, lime rock, silica, or similar material shall ensure that the cargo |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | 3.4compartment of the vehicle is securely covered if: |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | 3.5 (1) the vertical distance from the top of an exterior wall of the cargo compartment to |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | 3.6the load, when measured downward along the inside surface of the wall, is less than six |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | 3.7inches; or |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | 3.8 (2) the horizontal distance from the top of an exterior wall of the cargo compartment to |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | 3.9the load is less than two feet. |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | 3.10 (b) The driver shall not operate a vehicle to transport sand, gravel, aggregate, dirt, lime |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | 3.11rock, silica, or similar material in or on any part of the vehicle other than in the cargo |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | 3.12container. The driver shall clean the vehicle of loose sand, gravel, aggregate, dirt, lime rock, |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | 3.13silica, or similar material before the vehicle is moved on a road, street, or highway following |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | 3.14loading or unloading. |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | 3.15 (c) A driver of a vehicle used to transport garbage, rubbish, trash, debris, or similar |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | 3.16material is not required to cover the transported material as long as (1) the vehicle is being |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | 3.17operated at a speed less than 30 35 miles per hour, (2) the vehicle is not being operated on |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | 3.18an interstate highway, and (3) no part of the load escapes from the vehicle. A driver shall |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | 3.19immediately retrieve material that escapes from the vehicle, when safe to do so. |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | 3Sec. 4. |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | REVISOR EB/VJ 25-0043311/15/24 |
|---|