HF4943

Purpose

• Limit and regulate the use of the traffic safety camera system pilot program for red light violations.
• Update how violations identified by red light cameras are punished and handled, within a defined time window.

Main provisions

• Penalty for red light violations captured by a red light camera (under section 169.147): the vehicle owner or lessee is guilty of a petty misdemeanor and must pay a $40 fine, subject to certain exceptions.
• First offense: the driver is given a warning; no fine or conviction.
• Second offense: the offender is eligible for diversion, which must include a traffic safety course established under section 169.147 subdivision 11. Completing the diversion and course means no fine or conviction.
• Exclusions: the penalties in paragraph b do not apply to violations involving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) or to a holder of a Class A, B, or C commercial driver license (CDL) or commercial driver learner permit, regardless of whether the violation occurred in a CMV or another vehicle.
• Scope of penalties: these provisions apply to violations identified by red light cameras and implemented under section 169.147.

Timeline and scope

• Applicability period: violations must be committed on or after August 1, 2025 and on or before August 1, 2029 (the day following final enactment). This makes the changes temporary and tied to the pilot program window.

Significant changes to existing law

• Introduces a formal, time-limited framework for red light camera penalties tied to a pilot program, including:
  • A fixed $40 fine for violations identified by red light cameras (with warnings for first offenses).
  • A two-tier approach (warning first, diversion second) for non-first offenses.
  • An explicit diversion option that requires completing a traffic safety course.
  • Strong exclusions for CMVs and CDL holders, limiting applicability to non-CMV vehicles in those cases.
• Amends penalties and procedures previously associated with red light camera enforcement, aligning them with a staged, pilot-program approach rather than broad, permanent deployment.

Implementation notes

• The bill references changes to multiple Minnesota Statutes (169.06 subd. 10, and related sections) and ties to the red light camera program established under section 169.147.
• The pilot program and its rules, including the traffic safety course, are defined under section 169.147 subdivision 11.

Relevant Terms - red light camera - traffic-control signal - petty misdemeanor - fine ($40) - warning - diversion - traffic safety course - commercial motor vehicle (CMV) - commercial driver license (CDL) Class A/B/C - commercial driver learner permit - owner (or lessee) of the vehicle - pilot program - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 169.06 subdivision 10 - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 169.147 subdivision 11 - violations committed between August 1, 2025 and August 1, 2029

Relevant Terms (plain list for quick reference) red light camera, traffic-control signal, petty misdemeanor, fine, warning, diversion, traffic safety course, commercial motor vehicle, commercial driver license, CDL, commercial driver learner permit, owner, lessee, pilot program, 169.06, 169.147, August 1, 2025, August 1, 2029