1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to motor vehicles; requiring commissioner of
1.3 	public safety to ensure that mailed requests to verify
1.4 	insurance coverage are forwarded; prohibiting
1.5 	commissioner from suspending license of nonresponding
1.6 	vehicle owner if mailed request was returned
1.7 	undeliverable; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004,
1.8 	section 169.796, subdivision 3.
1.9 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.10 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 169.796,
1.11 	subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.12 		Subd. 3.Sampling to verify insurance coverage.  (a) The
1.13 	commissioner of public safety shall implement a monthly sampling
1.14 	program to verify insurance coverage.  The sample must annually
1.15 	include at least two percent of all drivers who own motor
1.16 	vehicles, as defined in section 168.011, licensed in the state,
1.17 	one-half of whom during the previous year have been convicted of
1.18 	at least one vehicle insurance law violation, have had a
1.19 	driver's license revoked or suspended due to habitual violation
1.20 	of traffic laws, have had no insurance in effect at the time of
1.21 	a reportable crash, or have been convicted of an alcohol-related
1.22 	motor vehicle offense.  No sample may be selected based on race,
1.23 	religion, physical or mental disability, economic status, or
1.24 	geographic location.
1.25 	(b) The commissioner shall request each vehicle owner
1.26 	included in the sample to furnish insurance coverage information
1.27 	to the commissioner within 30 days. The envelope in which the
2.1 	request is mailed must clearly state on the front that the
2.2 	contents of the envelope are time-sensitive and a response is
2.3 	required.  The envelope must display information necessary to
2.4 	enable the postal service to return undeliverable mail to the
2.5 	sender.  The commissioner may not block forwarding of the mailed
2.6 	request.The request must require the owner to state whether or
2.7 	not all motor vehicles owned by that person were insured on the
2.8 	verification date stated in the commissioner's request.  The
2.9 	request may require, but is not limited to, a signed statement
2.10 	by the owner that the information is true and correct, the names
2.11 	and addresses of insurers, policy numbers, and expiration or
2.12 	renewal dates of insurance coverage.
2.13 	(c) The commissioner shall conduct a verification of the
2.14 	response by transmitting necessary information to the insurance
2.15 	companies named in the owner's response.
2.16 	(d) The insurance companies shall electronically notify the
2.17 	commissioner, within 30 days of the commissioner's request, of
2.18 	any false statements regarding coverage.
2.19 	(e) The commissioner shall suspend, without preliminary
2.20 	hearing, the driver's license, if any, of a vehicle owner who
2.21 	falsely claims coverage, who indicates that coverage was not in
2.22 	effect at the time specified in the request, or who fails to
2.23 	respond to the commissioner's request to furnish proof of
2.24 	insurance, unless the mailed request was returned to the
2.25 	commissioner undeliverable.  The commissioner shall comply with
2.26 	the notice requirement of section 171.18, subdivision 2.
2.27 	(f) Before reinstatement of the driver's license, there
2.28 	must be filed with the commissioner of public safety the written
2.29 	certificate of an insurance carrier authorized to do business in
2.30 	the state stating that security has been provided as required by
2.31 	section 65B.48.  The commissioner of public safety may require
2.32 	the certificate of insurance provided to satisfy this
2.33 	subdivision to be certified by the insurance carrier for a
2.34 	period not to exceed one year.  The commissioner of public
2.35 	safety may also require a certificate of insurance to be filed
2.36 	with respect to all vehicles required to be insured under
3.1 	section 65B.48 and owned by any person whose driving privileges
3.2 	have been suspended as provided in this section before
3.3 	reinstating the person's driver's license.