1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to highways; defining hybrid vehicle and 
  1.3             inherently low emission vehicle; allowing certain 
  1.4             vehicles to be operated in toll lanes without payment 
  1.5             of toll; allowing certain vehicles to be operated in 
  1.6             high-occupancy vehicle lanes regardless of occupancy 
  1.7             requirements; directing commissioner of public safety 
  1.8             to issue decal or other identifier to be affixed to 
  1.9             certain vehicles; amending Minnesota Statutes 2002, 
  1.10            section 160.02, by adding subdivisions; Minnesota 
  1.11            Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 160.93, subdivision 
  1.12            4, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new 
  1.13            law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 161; 168. 
  1.14  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.15     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 160.02, is 
  1.16  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.17     Subd. 19a.  [HYBRID VEHICLE.] "Hybrid vehicle" is a motor 
  1.18  vehicle with an unloaded weight of not more than 6,000 pounds 
  1.19  with a hybrid propulsion system that operates both on an 
  1.20  alternative fuel, including electricity, and a traditional fuel. 
  1.21     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 160.02, is 
  1.22  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.23     Subd. 19b.  [INHERENTLY LOW EMISSION VEHICLE 
  1.24  (ILEV).] "Inherently low emission vehicle" is a motor vehicle 
  1.25  that meets Environmental Protection Agency ILEV standards for 
  1.26  evaporative emissions. 
  1.27     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 
  1.28  160.93, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.29     Subd. 1a.  [HYBRID AND INHERENTLY LOW EMISSION 
  2.1   VEHICLES.] The commissioner may not charge a user fee to an 
  2.2   owner or operator of a single-occupant hybrid vehicle or a 
  2.3   single-occupant inherently low emission vehicle that uses 
  2.4   designated high-occupancy vehicle lanes, if the vehicle displays 
  2.5   a decal or identifier issued for that vehicle pursuant to 
  2.6   section 168.096. 
  2.7      Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 
  2.8   160.93, subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  2.9      Subd. 4.  [PROHIBITION.] No person may operate a 
  2.10  single-occupant vehicle in a designated high-occupancy vehicle 
  2.11  lane except in compliance with the requirements of the 
  2.12  commissioner and the requirements of law.  Except as otherwise 
  2.13  provided, a person who violates this subdivision is guilty of a 
  2.14  petty misdemeanor and is subject to sections 169.89, 
  2.15  subdivisions 1, 2, and 4, and 169.891 and any other provision of 
  2.16  chapter 169 applicable to the commission of a petty misdemeanor 
  2.17  traffic offense. 
  2.18     Sec. 5.  [161.1247] [USE OF HIGH-OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANES.] 
  2.19     The commissioner shall order that an operator of a 
  2.20  qualifying inherently low emission vehicle that bears a decal or 
  2.21  identifier within the meaning of section 168.096 may use any 
  2.22  high-occupancy vehicle lane on the trunk highway system, 
  2.23  regardless of occupancy requirements established for other types 
  2.24  of vehicles. 
  2.25     Sec. 6.  [168.096] [IDENTIFICATION OF HYBRID AND INHERENTLY 
  2.26  LOW EMISSION VEHICLES.] 
  2.27     Subdivision 1.  [DECAL OR OTHER IDENTIFIER.] The registrar 
  2.28  shall issue to the owner of a hybrid vehicle, within the meaning 
  2.29  of section 160.02, subdivision 19a, or an inherently low 
  2.30  emission vehicle, within the meaning of section 160.02, 
  2.31  subdivision 19b, upon request of the owner and upon payment of a 
  2.32  fee of $......., a distinctive decal or other identifier to be 
  2.33  affixed to the vehicle so as to clearly distinguish these 
  2.34  vehicles from other vehicles.  Each decal or identifier must 
  2.35  display a unique number, which must be printed on or affixed to 
  2.36  the vehicle registration. 
  3.1      Subd. 2.  [VIOLATION.] A person may not operate and may not 
  3.2   own a vehicle that displays a decal or other identifier 
  3.3   described in section 168.096, if that decal or identifier was 
  3.4   not issued for that vehicle.  A violation of this subdivision is 
  3.5   a misdemeanor.