1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to crime prevention; requiring the 
  1.3             commissioner of public safety to issue gender-coded 
  1.4             special registration plates for certain vehicles and 
  1.5             to give a specified notice; authorizing law 
  1.6             enforcement officers to make suspicionless stops of 
  1.7             vehicles with such plates; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.8             1994, sections 168.041, subdivision 6; and 168.042, 
  1.9             subdivision 12. 
  1.10  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.11     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 168.041, 
  1.12  subdivision 6, is amended to read: 
  1.13     Subd. 6.  [SPECIAL SERIES PLATES.] (a) A violator or owner 
  1.14  may apply to the commissioner for new registration plates, which 
  1.15  must bear a special series of numbers or letters so as to be 
  1.16  readily identified by traffic law enforcement officers.  The 
  1.17  numbers or letters must be coded according to gender, to 
  1.18  indicate to an officer whether the person who committed the 
  1.19  violation that resulted in the impoundment of the plates is a 
  1.20  male or female.  The commissioner may authorize the issuance of 
  1.21  special plates if a member of the violator's household has a 
  1.22  valid driver's license, the violator or owner has a limited 
  1.23  license issued under section 171.30, or the owner is not the 
  1.24  violator and the owner has a valid or limited license or a 
  1.25  member of the owner's household has a valid driver's license.  
  1.26  The commissioner may issue the special plates on payment of a 
  1.27  $25 fee for each vehicle for which special plates are 
  2.1   requested.  A law enforcement officer may stop a vehicle bearing 
  2.2   a registration plate authorized under this subdivision at any 
  2.3   time, for the sole purpose of ascertaining whether the driver is 
  2.4   operating the vehicle in accordance with applicable law.  The 
  2.5   commissioner shall ensure that notice is given to the recipient 
  2.6   of the plates that at any time, a law enforcement officer may 
  2.7   stop the vehicle for the sole purpose of ascertaining whether 
  2.8   the driver is operating the vehicle in accordance with 
  2.9   applicable law and that the issuance of the special plates are 
  2.10  conditioned on this.  The commissioner may not authorize the 
  2.11  issuance of special plates unless the court that impounded the 
  2.12  vehicle's plates gives written approval for the issuance of the 
  2.13  special plates.  
  2.14     (b) Until the driver's license of the violator is 
  2.15  reinstated or reissued, the violator shall inform the 
  2.16  commissioner that an impoundment order is in effect when 
  2.17  requesting any new registration plates.  
  2.18     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 168.042, 
  2.19  subdivision 12, is amended to read: 
  2.20     Subd. 12.  [ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATES.] A 
  2.21  violator or registered owner may apply to the commissioner for 
  2.22  new registration plates, which must bear a special series of 
  2.23  numbers or letters so as to be readily identified by traffic law 
  2.24  enforcement officers.  The numbers or letters must be coded 
  2.25  according to gender, to indicate to an officer whether the 
  2.26  person who committed the violation that resulted in the 
  2.27  impoundment of the plates is a male or female.  The commissioner 
  2.28  may authorize the issuance of special plates if: 
  2.29     (1) the violator has a qualified licensed driver whom the 
  2.30  violator must identify; 
  2.31     (2) the violator or registered owner has a limited license 
  2.32  issued under section 171.30; 
  2.33     (3) the registered owner is not the violator and the 
  2.34  registered owner has a valid or limited driver's license; or 
  2.35     (4) a member of the registered owner's household has a 
  2.36  valid driver's license. 
  3.1   The commissioner may issue the special plates on payment of a 
  3.2   $25 fee for each vehicle for which special plates are 
  3.3   requested.  A law enforcement officer may stop a vehicle bearing 
  3.4   a registration plate authorized under this subdivision at any 
  3.5   time, for the sole purpose of ascertaining whether the driver is 
  3.6   operating the vehicle in accordance with applicable law.  The 
  3.7   commissioner shall ensure that notice is given to the recipient 
  3.8   of the plates that at any time, a law enforcement officer may 
  3.9   stop the vehicle for the sole purpose of ascertaining whether 
  3.10  the driver is operating the vehicle in accordance with 
  3.11  applicable law and that the issuance of the special plates are 
  3.12  conditioned on this.