Minnesota transportation bills

What it would do: Authorizes operation of autonomous vehicles and on-demand autonomous vehicle networks in Minnesota subject to permits from the commissioner of public safety. Establishes requirements for autonomous vehicle operation, financial responsibility, safety verification, and creates an advisory task force to study commercial autonomous vehicle operations impacts.

What it would do: Requires a properly licensed natural person to be physically present in the driver's seat of a commercial motor vehicle operating an automated driving system, monitoring performance and intervening if necessary. Establishes criminal penalties for owners or lessors who violate this requirement, with penalties doubling for subsequent offenses.

What it would do: Defines autonomous vehicle terms and establishes regulatory requirements for operating autonomous vehicles on Minnesota public roads, including authorization procedures, financial responsibility minimums of $1,000,000, collision reporting, and on-demand autonomous vehicle network operations.

What it would do: Expands definition of construction materials for overweight vehicle permits to include equipment and supplies for real property construction. Prohibits local ordinances affecting aggregate mining facilities during permit review or environmental impact statement preparation, and requires conditions no more restrictive than state or federal requirements. Directs legislative audit of aggregate production tax and appropriates $250,000 for aggregate resource inventory mapping.

What it would do: Permits a 10 percent increase to per-axle weight limits under Minnesota Statutes sections 169.823 to 169.829 for vehicles transporting dry bulk goods, excluding total gross vehicle weight limits.

What it would do: Modifies escort requirements for manufactured and modular homes as overdimensional loads. When a peace officer requires an escort beyond statutory minimums, the officer cannot serve as or be compensated for the escort, and the commissioner of public safety must pay the cost from existing funds.

What it would do: Requires entities operating autonomous vehicles commercially in Minnesota to certify they have at least two wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleet within one year of beginning operations, with authorization suspension as penalty for non-compliance.

What it would do: Appropriates $390,000 from bond proceeds to the commissioner of transportation for grants to Hennepin County and the cities of Medina, Independence, and Loretto for railroad crossing safety improvements and street reconstruction at Town Line Road. Authorizes the state to issue bonds up to $390,000 to fund this appropriation.

What it would do: Authorizes third-party testing programs to conduct commercial driver's license road tests under commissioner approval and oversight. Appropriates $429,000 for fiscal year 2026, $390,000 for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to implement the program.

What it would do: Prohibits commercial autonomous vehicle operations in Minnesota until a study is completed and a permit process is established. Requires an advisory board to study impacts on drivers and businesses, and mandates a human safety operator be physically present in any permitted autonomous vehicle.

What it would do: Authorizes vehicle platoon pilot projects on specified roads in Wilkin and Grant Counties, requiring approval from relevant road authorities and the commissioner. Requires a report by January 1, 2029, analyzing impacts and whether to expand the program statewide. Plans expire January 1, 2030.

What it would do: Establishes bridge and tunnel inspection standards based on federal requirements, modifies active transportation education funding allocation, extends reporting requirement expiration dates to 2036, removes scenic byway designations, and creates a truck parking improvement program.

What it would do: Establishes a commercial driver training assistance program providing financial support to individuals and motor carriers for commercial driver's license training, and appropriates $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2026. Allows third-party testing programs to administer road tests for commercial driver's licenses.