Committee advances bill to set implement-of-husbandry speed limit at 35 mph statewide

The Minnesota Senate Transportation Committee on Feb. 17 recommended passage of Senate File 1360, a bill to set the statewide speed limit for implements of husbandry at 35 miles per hour. Senator Johnson Stewart moved the bill and the committee referred it to the Senate floor by voice vote.

The bill's sponsor, Senator Johnson Stewart, said the change would provide consistent rules for drivers and farmers who use implements of husbandry — defined in the hearing as towable and other farm equipment. "Many of us have experienced driving behind an implement of husbandry…not really knowing what the speed limit is," Senator Johnson Stewart said, arguing consistency prevents unintended speeding when a tractor crosses county lines.

Colonel Christina Bogojevic, of the Minnesota State Patrol, testified in support and described the measure as a consistency change across statutes that previously had varied between 30 and 35 mph for those vehicles. "This really just brings consistency across several different statutes," Colonel Bogojevic said, adding that the adjustment to 35 mph would not impact safety.

There were no additional registered testifiers. After brief discussion, Senator Johnson Stewart moved that SF 1360 be recommended to pass and referred to the Senate floor; members voted by voice and the chair declared the motion carried.

The committee did not provide a roll-call tally in the hearing record; the vote was taken by voice. The bill will next go to the full Senate for consideration.

For context: "implements of husbandry" refers to vehicles used in farming; the committee noted prior statutory variation between 30 and 35 mph and described this bill as a statutory cleanup to make the limit uniform across counties.