Senate
Study
Bill
3088
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
_____
BY
(PROPOSED
COMMITTEE
ON
TRANSPORTATION
BILL
BY
CHAIRPERSON
KLIMESH)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
the
maximum
weight
of
vehicles
powered
1
primarily
by
natural
gas
or
electric
battery,
and
making
2
penalties
applicable.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
TLSB
5665XC
(1)
90
th/ns
S.F.
_____
Section
1.
Section
321.463,
subsection
5,
paragraph
a,
Code
1
2024,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
a.
Notwithstanding
any
provision
of
law
to
the
contrary,
3
a
motor
vehicle
equipped
with
an
engine
fueled
primarily
by
4
natural
gas
or
a
motor
vehicle
powered
primarily
by
means
5
of
electric
battery
power
may
exceed
any
applicable
maximum
6
gross
weight
limit
under
this
chapter
,
up
to
a
maximum
gross
7
weight
of
eighty-two
thousand
pounds
,
by
an
amount
equal
to
8
the
difference
between
the
weight
of
the
vehicle
attributable
9
to
the
natural
gas
tank
and
fueling
system
installed
in
the
10
vehicle
and
the
weight
of
a
comparable
diesel
fuel
tank
and
11
fueling
system
.
12
EXPLANATION
13
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
14
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
15
Current
law
limits
the
maximum
gross
weight
of
a
vehicle
16
based
on
the
highway
on
which
the
vehicle
is
operated
and
the
17
number
of
axles
and
the
distance
between
the
axles
on
the
18
vehicle.
Generally,
the
maximum
gross
weight
of
a
vehicle,
19
including
towed
vehicles,
is
80,000
pounds
when
operated
on
a
20
highway
in
Iowa.
Certain
exceptions
exist
including
but
not
21
limited
to
specially
permitted
vehicles
and
vehicles
with
six
22
or
seven
axles
while
operated
on
noninterstate
highways.
23
Additionally,
a
motor
vehicle
equipped
with
an
engine
fueled
24
primarily
by
natural
gas
may
exceed
the
standard
weight
limit
25
and
is
authorized
to
weigh
up
to
82,000
pounds,
as
long
as
26
the
vehicle’s
excessive
weight
equals
the
difference
between
27
the
weight
of
the
vehicle
attributable
to
the
natural
gas
28
tank
and
fueling
system
installed
in
the
vehicle
and
the
29
weight
of
a
comparable
diesel
fuel
tank
and
fueling
system.
30
This
bill
strikes
the
requirement
that
the
excessive
weight
31
be
attributable
to
the
power
unit
substitution
and
instead
32
authorizes
all
such
vehicles
to
weigh
up
to
82,000
pounds.
33
The
bill
likewise
authorizes
a
motor
vehicle
primarily
34
powered
by
means
of
electric
battery
power
to
exceed
any
35
-1-
LSB
5665XC
(1)
90
th/ns
1/
2
S.F.
_____
applicable
gross
weight
limit,
up
to
82,000
pounds.
1
A
vehicle
that
exceeds
the
allowable
weight
based
on
its
2
number
of
axles
and
the
distance
between
the
axles
is
subject
3
to
a
scheduled
fine.
The
scheduled
fine
ranges
from
$12
to
4
$2,200
plus
10
cents
per
pound
in
excess
of
20,000
pounds
over
5
the
limit.
6
-2-
LSB
5665XC
(1)
90
th/ns
2/
2