New Year New Laws

Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze wants the public to be aware of some new laws and some changes to laws that have taken effect. He is on the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association Legislative Committee.

Sheriff Cruze there are some traffic-related law changes such as the temporary plates which used to be a 21-day piece of paper in your back window which is now a paper license plate that is good for 60-days; and child restraint laws that are based more on a child’s size than their age. He says motorcycles can now do lane-splitting in Minnesota, but it’s only in congested areas, so it probably won’t be seen in Meeker County.

Sheriff Cruze says there’s also a law related to flying cars which would be pretty unusual at this point, but if you’re car is capable of flying, you can’t just take off from the highway – you have to go to an airport to take off, and follow airport laws there, and highway laws when you’re driving. He says it’s now a felony to falsely report an emergency.

Sheriff Cruze says there are a few changes to firearm laws including the banning of binary triggers, and it’s no longer legal to own a firearm with a binary trigger. He says the straw purchase laws have been strengthened as a result of the shooting of officers last winter in Burnsville, so if you purchase a firearm and give it to someone who shouldn’t have it, it’s a felony.