Relating to raw farm products for purposes of increased gross weight for motor vehicles transporting such products on this state’s public highways

BACKGROUND. Current law prohibits a person from operating a motor truck, trailer, truck tractor, road tractor, or semitrailer having a gross weight that exceeds the vehicle’s registered gross weight by percent. An exception allows such a vehicle transporting certain loads associated with farming to operate on the public highways so long as the gross weight does not exceed the vehicle’s registered gross weight by percent. Loads subject to this exemption include raw farm products, fertilizers, raw dairy products, livestock, live poultry, and eggs. 47). Another statutory exemption provides that cracked or ground grain may be considered a raw farm product if it is being directly delivered between farms for purposes of cracking or grinding. BILL’S PROVISIONS. This bill codifies the list of raw farm products adopted by DOT rule entitled to be transported subject to the additional percent registered gross weight exception. The bill strikes the statutory terms raw dairy products, livestock, live poultry, and eggs from the statutory exemptions and adds them into the codified list of raw farm products. The bill also adds manure, soybean meal, and wet or dry distillers grains to that list. DOT may adopt rules setting forth additional raw farm products subject to the exception. In addition, the bill adds soil amendments, defined in the bill, to the list of loads subject to the exception.