Fee bumps could help highway fund

Some proposed fee changes could net the state’s trunk highway fund $22,120.

Sponsored by Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) and Sen. Rod Skoe (DFL-Clearbrook), HF3029/ SF2846* would make technical changes to the transportation statutes as they relate to vehicle weights and measures. Some fee structures would change accordingly.

Approved 67-0 by the Senate March 29; the House Ways and Means Committee incorporated the House language before approving the bill April 13. The full House approved the amended bill 130-3 April 19, but the Senate refused to concur with the House changes. A conference committee has been requested to work out the differences.

Under the amended bill, the current annual permit fee of $24 for implements of husbandry would be eliminated and would instead be subject to the oversize annual permit fee of $1,120. According the Revenue Department, 245 permits were issued in 2009.

The current $850 annual permit fee for special two-unit vehicles would decrease to $300 for up to 90,000-pound vehicle combinations and $500 for up to 97,000-pound vehicle combinations.