1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to motor vehicles; providing for lifetime 
  1.3             registration of light utility trailers; amending 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.013, subdivision 
  1.5             1d. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.013, 
  1.8   subdivision 1d, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 1d.  [TRAILER.] (a) On trailers registered at a gross 
  1.10  vehicle weight of greater than 3,000 pounds, the annual tax is 
  1.11  based on total gross weight and is 30 percent of the Minnesota 
  1.12  base rate prescribed in subdivision 1e, when the gross weight is 
  1.13  15,000 pounds or less, and when the gross weight of a trailer is 
  1.14  more than 15,000 pounds, the tax for the first eight years of 
  1.15  vehicle life is 100 percent of the tax imposed in the Minnesota 
  1.16  base rate schedule, and during the ninth and succeeding years of 
  1.17  vehicle life the tax is 75 percent of the Minnesota base rate 
  1.18  prescribed by subdivision 1e, but in no event less than $5, 
  1.19  provided, that the tax on trailers with a total gross weight of 
  1.20  3,000 pounds or less is payable biennially.  
  1.21     (b) Farm trailers with a gross weight in excess of 10,000 
  1.22  pounds and as described in section 168.011, subdivision 17, are 
  1.23  taxed as farm trucks as prescribed in subdivision 1c. 
  1.24     (c) Effective on and after July 1, 2001, trailers 
  1.25  registered at a gross vehicle weight of 3,000 pounds or less 
  2.1   must display a distinctive plate.  The registration on the 
  2.2   license plate is valid for the life of the trailer only if it 
  2.3   remains registered at the same gross vehicle weight.  The 
  2.4   one-time registration tax for trailers registered for the first 
  2.5   time in Minnesota is $55.  For trailers registered in Minnesota 
  2.6   before July 1, 2001, and for which: 
  2.7      (1) registration is desired for the remaining life of the 
  2.8   trailer, the registration tax is $25; or 
  2.9      (2) permanent registration is not desired, the biennial 
  2.10  registration tax is $10 for the first renewal if registration is 
  2.11  renewed between and including July 1, 2001, and June 30, 2003.  
  2.12  These trailers must be issued permanent registration at the 
  2.13  first renewal on or after July 1, 2003, and the registration tax 
  2.14  is $20.  
  2.15  For trailers registered at a gross weight of 3,000 pounds or 
  2.16  less before July 1, 2001, but not renewed until on or after July 
  2.17  1, 2003, the registration tax is $20 and permanent registration 
  2.18  must be issued.