1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to motor vehicles; providing for registration 
  1.3             fee and tax for license plates issued for 
  1.4             manufacturer's vehicles used for cold weather testing 
  1.5             purposes; amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 
  1.6             168.012, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for 
  1.7             new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 168; and 297B. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 168.012, is 
  1.10  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.11     Subd. 5a.  [VEHICLES USED FOR TESTING.] Motor vehicles 
  1.12  operated for testing under section 168.25 are not subject to 
  1.13  registration taxes under this chapter. 
  1.14     Sec. 2.  [168.25] [VEHICLES USED FOR TESTING.] 
  1.15     Subdivision 1.  [PLATES.] The registrar shall on request 
  1.16  issue to a first-stage manufacturer of motor vehicles one or 
  1.17  more manufacturer test plates that display a general 
  1.18  distinguishing number.  The fee for each of the first four 
  1.19  plates is $40 per calendar year, of which $25 must be paid to 
  1.20  the registrar and the remaining $15 is payable as sales tax on 
  1.21  motor vehicles under section 297B.035.  For each additional 
  1.22  plate, the manufacturer shall pay the registrar a fee of $10 and 
  1.23  a tax on motor vehicles under section 297B.035 of $15 per 
  1.24  calendar year.  The registrar shall deposit the tax in the state 
  1.25  treasury to be credited under section 297B.09. 
  1.26     Subd. 2.  [PERMITTED USES.] A motor vehicle owned by a 
  2.1   first-stage manufacturer and bearing the number plate issued 
  2.2   under subdivision 1 may be operated on public streets and 
  2.3   highways by the manufacturer or an employee or agent of the 
  2.4   manufacturer, for the purpose of conducting specialized cold 
  2.5   weather testing, and for transportation to and from a bona fide 
  2.6   cold weather testing station. 
  2.7      Sec. 3.  [297B.0351] [MANUFACTURER'S TESTING VEHICLES.] 
  2.8      Except as provided in section 168.25, a vehicle purchased 
  2.9   by a first-stage motor vehicle manufacturer and licensed under 
  2.10  that section is exempt from the provisions of this chapter. 
  2.11     Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.12     Sections 1 to 3 are effective the day following final 
  2.13  enactment.