ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota House voted 97-34 for its major 2024 transportation bill. Among dozens of provisions is cutting an online crash prevention xourse for over-55 drivers to four hours. The course had been eight hours. Passing the course qualifies for a 10% insurance discount. Among other transportation bill provisions:
> Child car seats. Recommended practices would become a rear-facing seats for children younger than age 2, a forward-facing seat for children 4 to 9, and booster seats for children 4 to 9. Children 13 and younger should ride in the back in vehicles with a back seat.
> State Fair congestion. The Fair would be required to develop transportation plan to reduce traffic, congestion and parking and to expand both bike storage and ridesharing.
> Derailments. Train crews would be required to call 911 for crashes that could cause hazardous spills.
> Electric cars. Trunk highway funds could be spent electric car infrastructure to qualify for federal dollars. Currently there is a ban on such use of trunk highway funds.
> Passenger trains. The state Transportation Department would be allowed to promote interstate train travel, which now is prohibited.
A parallel bill is progressing through the Senate. Almost for sure, a joint Senge-House committee review will be necessary to resolve differences in the bills.