The Minnesota House has followed the Senate’s lead, passing a bill Monday that would make reckless driving laws apply to light rail operators. It’s prompted by a July 2017 crash when an L-R-T driver ran a red light in Saint Paul, killing 29-year-old Nicholas Westlake and seriously injuring his girlfriend — but prosecutors couldn’t bring charges. Hopkins Democrat Cheryl Youakim says, “It will not prevent every accident, but hopefully by passing this bill today we can take this first step towards having some good come out of this senseless tragedy.”
Republicans wanted a zero-tolerance alcohol provision in the bill, but Democrats say Minnesota’s D-W-I laws already apply to light-rail train operators.