Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB204 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	HB204INTRODUCED
2	2	Page 0
3	3	HB204
4	4	XNKBEE7-1
5	5	By Representatives Givens, Mooney, Moore (P), Almond, Collins,
6	6	Gidley, Travis, Hammett, Hulsey, Woods, Colvin, Brinyark,
7	7	Robertson, Shirey, Butler, Rehm, Lands, Fidler, Holk-Jones,
8	8	Easterbrook
9	9	RFD: Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure
10	10	First Read: 06-Feb-25
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18	18	8 XNKBEE7-1 01/30/2025 ZAK (L)ZAK 2025-437
19	19	Page 1
20	20	First Read: 06-Feb-25
21	21	SYNOPSIS:
22	22	Under existing law, certain special trucks are
23	23	provided exceptions to certain weight and length limits
24	24	for highways in this state.
25	25	This bill would add certain trucks to those that
26	26	are excepted from these weight limits.
27	27	Also under existing law, portable scales may be
28	28	used to enforce these weight limits pursuant to certain
29	29	specified procedures.
30	30	This bill would further provide for an operator
31	31	of a vehicle to verify the accuracy of portable scales.
32	32	This bill would remove the authority of certain
33	33	individuals to require vehicle operators to drive to
34	34	stationary weigh scales to enforce these weight limits.
35	35	This bill would also make nonsubstantive,
36	36	technical revisions to update the existing code
37	37	language to current style.
38	38	A BILL
39	39	TO BE ENTITLED
40	40	AN ACT
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68	68	28 HB204 INTRODUCED
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70	70	Relating to trucks; to amend Section 32-9-20, as last
71	71	amended by Act 2024-248, 2024 Regular Session, and Section
72	72	32-9-31, Code of Alabama 1975, to add certain trucks to those
73	73	excepted from weight limits on highways; to revise and further
74	74	provide procedures for using portable scales to enforce these
75	75	weight limits; to revise the authority of individuals
76	76	authorized to enforce these weight limits; and to make
77	77	nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing
78	78	code language to current style.
79	79	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
80	80	Section 1. Section 32-9-20, as last amended by Act
81	81	2024-248, 2024 Regular Session, and Section 32-9-31, Code of
82	82	Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
83	83	"§32-9-20
84	84	(a) It shall be unlawful for any individual to drive or
85	85	move on any highway in this state any vehicle or vehicles of a
86	86	size or weight except in accordance with the following:
87	87	(1) HEIGHT. No vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer shall
88	88	exceed in height 13 1/2 feet, including load.
89	89	(2) LENGTH. No vehicle shall exceed in length 40 feet;
90	90	except, that the length of a truck-semitrailer combination,
91	91	semitrailers, including load, used in a truck
92	92	tractor-semitrailer combination, shall not exceed 57 feet;
93	93	semitrailers and trailers, including load, used in a truck
94	94	tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination, shall not exceed 28
95	95	1/2 feet each; and motor vehicles designed, used, or
96	96	maintained primarily as a mobile dwelling, office, or
97	97	commercial space, commonly called motor homes, shall not
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127	127	commercial space, commonly called motor homes, shall not
128	128	exceed 45 feet. Semitrailers exceeding 53 1/2 feet shall only
129	129	be operated on highways designated pursuant to Section 32-9-1
130	130	and shall only be operated when the distance between the
131	131	kingpin of a semitrailer and the rearmost axle or a point
132	132	midway between the two rear axles, if the two rear axles are
133	133	tandem axles, does not exceed 41 feet and if the semitrailer
134	134	is equipped with a rear underride guard of a substantial
135	135	construction consisting of a continuous lateral beam extending
136	136	to within four inches of the lateral extremities of the
137	137	semitrailer and located not more than 22 inches from the
138	138	surface as measured with the semitrailer empty and on a level
139	139	surface. For purposes of enforcement of this subdivision,
140	140	lengths of semitrailers and trailers refer to the cargo
141	141	carrying portion of the unit. Truck tractor units used
142	142	exclusively in combinations transporting motor vehicles may
143	143	directly carry a portion of the cargo, provided that the
144	144	combinations are restricted to truck tractor-semitrailer
145	145	combinations only and provided further that the overall length
146	146	of these particular combinations shall not exceed 65 feet;
147	147	except that the overall length of stinger-steered type units
148	148	shall not exceed 80 feet. No truck tractor-semitrailer
149	149	combination used exclusively for transporting motor vehicles
150	150	shall carry any load extending more than four feet beyond the
151	151	front or six feet beyond the rear of the combination. No other
152	152	vehicle operated on a highway shall carry any load extending
153	153	more than a total of five feet beyond both the front and rear,
154	154	inclusive, of the vehicle.
155	155	(3) WEIGHT.
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185	185	(3) WEIGHT.
186	186	a.1. Axle Weight. The gross weight imposed on the
187	187	highway by the wheels of any one axle of a vehicle shall not
188	188	exceed 20,000 pounds, or other weight, if any, as may be
189	189	permitted by federal law to keep the state from losing federal
190	190	funds; provided, that inadequate bridges shall be posted to
191	191	define load limits.
192	192	2. For the purpose of this subdivision, an "axle load"
193	193	shall be defined as the total load transmitted to the road by
194	194	all wheels whose centers are included between two parallel
195	195	transverse vertical planes 40 inches apart, extending across
196	196	the full width of the vehicle.
197	197	3. Vehicles and combinations of vehicles shall not
198	198	operate on the Interstate Highway System of Alabama that have
199	199	a weight greater than 20,000 pounds carried on any one axle,
200	200	including the allowable load tolerance, or with a tandem axle
201	201	weight in excess of 34,000 pounds, including the allowable
202	202	load tolerance, or overall gross weight on a group of two or
203	203	more consecutive axles produced by application of the
204	204	following formula:
205	205	W=500 (LN/(N-1) + 12N + 36)
206	206	where W = overall gross weight on any group of two or
207	207	more consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds, L = distance
208	208	in feet between the extreme of any group of two or more
209	209	consecutive axles, and N = number of axles in the group under
210	210	consideration; except, that two consecutive sets of tandem
211	211	axles may carry a gross load of 34,000 pounds each, provided
212	212	the overall distance between the first and last axles of the
213	213	consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more and the
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243	243	consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more and the
244	244	overall gross weight may not exceed 80,000 pounds, including
245	245	the allowable load tolerance.
246	246	b. Gross Weight. Subject to the limit upon the weight
247	247	imposed upon the highway through any one axle as set forth
248	248	herein, the total weight with load imposed upon the highway by
249	249	all the axles of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall
250	250	not exceed the gross weight given for the respective distances
251	251	between the first and last axle of the vehicle or combination
252	252	of vehicles, measured longitudinally to the nearest foot as
253	253	set forth in the following table:
254	254	COMPUTED GROSS WEIGHT TABLE
255	255	For various spacings of axle groupings
256	256	Distance in feet between first and
257	257	last axles of vehicle or combination
258	258	of vehicles
259	259	Maximum load in
260	260	pounds on all the
261	261	axles
262	262	2 axles3 axles4 axles5 axles6 axles
263	263	8 or less 36,000 42,000 42,000
264	264	9 38,000 42,500 42,500
265	265	10 40,000 43,500 43,500
266	266	11 44,000 44,000
267	267	12 45,000 50,000 50,000
268	268	13 45,500 50,500 50,500
269	269	14 46,500 51,500 51,500
270	270	15 47,000 52,000 52,000
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296	296	15 47,000 52,000 52,000
297	297	16 48,000 52,500 58,000 58,000
298	298	17 48,500 53,500 58,500 58,500
299	299	18 49,500 54,000 59,000 59,000
300	300	19 50,000 54,500 60,000 60,000
301	301	20 51,000 55,500 60,500 66,000
302	302	21 51,500 56,000 61,000 66,500
303	303	22 52,500 56,500 61,500 67,000
304	304	23 53,000 57,500 62,500 68,000
305	305	24 54,000 58,000 63,000 68,500
306	306	25 54,500 58,500 63,500 69,000
307	307	26 56,000 59,500 64,000 69,500
308	308	27 57,000 60,000 65,000 70,000
309	309	28 59,000 60,500 65,500 71,000
310	310	29 60,000 61,500 66,000 71,500
311	311	30 62,000 66,500 72,000
312	312	31 63,500 67,000 72,500
313	313	32 64,500 68,000 73,500
314	314	33 65,000 69,000 74,000
315	315	34 65,500 70,000 74,500
316	316	35 66,500 71,000 75,000
317	317	36 67,000 72,000 76,000
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340	340	36 67,000 72,000 76,000
341	341	37 68,000 73,000 77,000
342	342	38 69,000 74,000 78,000
343	343	39 70,000 75,000 79,000
344	344	40 71,000 76,000 80,000
345	345	41 72,000 77,000 81,000
346	346	42 73,000 78,000 82,000
347	347	43 74,000 79,000 83,000
348	348	44 and over 75,000 80,000 84,000
349	349	c. Special Permits. Except as provided by special
350	350	permits, no vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeding the
351	351	gross weights specified in paragraph a. or b. shall be
352	352	permitted to travel on the public highways within the State of
353	353	Alabama.
354	354	d.1. Allowable Load Tolerance. For purposes of
355	355	enforcing this subdivision, all weights less than or equal to
356	356	the sum of the weight otherwise prescribed by this
357	357	subdivision, plus the allowable load tolerance, shall be
358	358	deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of this
359	359	section and shall not constitute violations thereof. No
360	360	evidence shall be admitted into evidence or considered by the
361	361	trier of fact in any civil action unless the evidence
362	362	proffered would tend to prove that the weight of the vehicle
363	363	exceeded the amount provided in this subsection. Nothing in
364	364	this paragraph shall restrict or affect the right of any
365	365	defendant to place in evidence such evidence tending to prove
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392	392	defendant to place in evidence such evidence tending to prove
393	393	the defendant was in compliance with this section.
394	394	2. For the purposes of this subdivision, the allowable
395	395	load tolerance is calculated by multiplying the weight
396	396	prescribed by this subdivision by one-tenth (.10).
397	397	e. Special Trucks.
398	398	1. Dump trucks, dump trailers, concrete mixing trucks,
399	399	fuel oil, gasoline trucks, and trucks designated and
400	400	constructed for special type work or use shall not be made to
401	401	conform to the axle spacing requirements of paragraph b. ;,
402	402	provided, that the vehicle shall be limited to a weight of
403	403	20,000 pounds per axle plus the allowable load tolerance; and,
404	404	provided further, that the maximum gross weight of the
405	405	vehicles vehicle shall not exceed the maximum weight allowed
406	406	by this section for the appropriate number of axles,
407	407	irrespective of the distance between axles, plus the allowable
408	408	load tolerance. All axles shall be brake equipped.
409	409	2. Trucks delivering asphalt plant mix which that do
410	410	not exceed the maximum allowable gross weight and operate
411	411	within 50 miles of their home base shall not be required to
412	412	conform to the requirements of paragraph a.
413	413	3. Concrete mixing trucks that operate within 50 miles
414	414	of their home base and do not exceed the maximum allowable
415	415	gross weight shall not be required to conform to the
416	416	requirements of paragraph a.
417	417	4. Log trucks that do not exceed the maximum allowable
418	418	gross weight shall not be required to conform to the
419	419	requirements of paragraph a., subject to meeting the following
420	420	requirements:
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450	450	requirements:
451	451	(i) The weight of each axle is limited to 22,000 pounds
452	452	plus the allowable load tolerance.
453	453	(ii) If the vehicle has two consecutive sets of tandem
454	454	axles:
455	455	A. The weight of each consecutive set of axles is
456	456	limited to 44,000 pounds plus the allowable load tolerance.
457	457	B. The overall distance between the first axle and last
458	458	axle of the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or
459	459	more.
460	460	C. The overall gross weight of the vehicle does not
461	461	exceed 80,000 pounds plus the allowable load tolerance.
462	462	5. It shall be is a violation if the vehicles a vehicle
463	463	named under this subdivision travel paragraph travels upon
464	464	bridges designated and posted by the Transportation Director
465	465	of Transportation as incapable of carrying the load.
466	466	f. Driver Compliance. If the driver of any vehicle can
467	467	comply with the weight requirements of this section by
468	468	shifting or equalizing the load on all wheels or axles and
469	469	does so when requested by the proper authority, the driver
470	470	shall not be held to be operating in violation of this
471	471	section.
472	472	g. Portable Scales.
473	473	1. When portable Portable scales are may be used in
474	474	enforcing to enforce this section, the. To determine the
475	475	weight of each axle, the axles of any vehicle described or
476	476	commonly referred to as tandem or triaxle rigs or units, that
477	477	is, vehicles having two or more axles in addition to a
478	478	steering axle, the group of tandem or triaxles shall be
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508	508	steering axle, the group of tandem or triaxles shall be
509	509	weighed simultaneously, and the total weight so derived shall
510	510	be divided by the number of axles weighed in the group to
511	511	arrive at the per axle weight, except that if any one axle in
512	512	the group exceeds 20,000 pounds in weight, it shall not exceed
513	513	the weight of any other axle in the group by more than 50
514	514	percent.
515	515	2. When portable scales are used to enforce this
516	516	sectiondetermine and either the axle weight or the gross
517	517	weight of a vehicle pursuant to is determined to be in
518	518	violation of this section, if the operator of the vehicle
519	519	believes that the determination of a violation is based on
520	520	inaccuracies of the portable scales, the operator may do
521	521	either of the following:
522	522	(i)will be permitted to move Request that an
523	523	enforcement officer accompany the operator and vehicle to the
524	524	nearest platform scales certified by the Department of
525	525	Agriculture and Industries and operated by a bonded operator
526	526	within a distance of 10 highway miles , accompanied by an
527	527	enforcement officer to verify the accuracy of the portable
528	528	scales used in determining the axle weight or gross weight of
529	529	the vehicle. If an enforcement officer does not accompany the
530	530	operator and vehicle to platform scales within 30 minutes of
531	531	the request to do so, or the axle weights or gross weight of
532	532	the vehicle is shown by the platform scales to be within the
533	533	legal limits of this section, including the allowable load
534	534	tolerance, the operator of the vehicle shall not be held to be
535	535	in violation of this section and any citation, if issued,
536	536	shall be void.
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566	566	shall be void.
567	567	(ii) Proceed with the vehicle to the nearest platform
568	568	scales certified by the Department of Agriculture and
569	569	Industries and operated by a bonded operator within a distance
570	570	of 100 highway miles to verify the accuracy of the portable
571	571	scales used in determining the axle weight or gross weight of
572	572	the vehicle without being accompanied by an enforcement
573	573	officer. If the axle weights or gross weight of the vehicle is
574	574	shown by the platform scales to be within the legal limits of
575	575	this section, including the allowable load tolerance, the
576	576	operator of the vehicle shall not be held to be in violation
577	577	of this section and any citation, if issued, shall be void
578	578	upon providing a copy of the platform scale weight ticket and
579	579	an affidavit, to be established and provided online by the
580	580	entity employing the enforcing officer, to the entity
581	581	employing the enforcing officer within 48 hours of being
582	582	weighed by the portable scales.
583	583	3. When using portable scales to enforce this section,
584	584	not more than three vehicles may be detained at any one time,
585	585	including a vehicle being weighed
586	586	h. County Highways. The governing body of a county, by
587	587	appropriate resolution, may authorize limitations less than
588	588	those prescribed in this section for vehicles operated upon
589	589	the county highways of the county.
590	590	i. Posted Roads and Bridges. The Department of
591	591	Transportation may post or limit any road or bridge to weights
592	592	less than those prescribed by this section. It is the
593	593	legislative intent and purpose that this section be rigidly
594	594	enforced by the Department of Transportation, the Alabama
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624	624	enforced by the Department of Transportation, the Alabama
625	625	State Law Enforcement Agency, any other authorized law
626	626	enforcement officer of this state, and any county, city, and
627	627	incorporated town.
628	628	j. Agricultural Commodities. Two and three axle
629	629	vehicles being used exclusively for the purpose of
630	630	transporting agricultural commodities or products to and from
631	631	a farm and for agricultural purposes relating to the operation
632	632	and maintenance of a farm by any farmer, custom harvester, or
633	633	husbandman may not be made to conform to the axle requirements
634	634	of paragraph a. or the gross weight requirements of paragraph
635	635	b.
636	636	(4) WIDTH. Vehicles and combinations of vehicles
637	637	operating on highways shall not exceed a total outside width,
638	638	including any load thereon, of 102 inches, exclusive of
639	639	mirrors or other safety devices approved by the Department of
640	640	Transportation. No passenger vehicle shall carry any load
641	641	extending beyond the line of the fenders. No vehicle hauling
642	642	forest products or culvert pipe on any highway shall have a
643	643	load exceeding 102 inches in width.
644	644	(b)(1) Any vehicle utilizing an auxiliary power or idle
645	645	reduction technology unit in order to promote reduction of
646	646	fuel use and emissions because of engine idling shall be
647	647	allowed an additional 400 pounds total to the gross, axle,
648	648	tandem, or bridge formula weight limits defined in this
649	649	section.
650	650	(2) To be eligible for the exception provided in this
651	651	subsection, the operator of the vehicle must provide written
652	652	proof or certification of the weight of the auxiliary power
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682	682	proof or certification of the weight of the auxiliary power
683	683	unit (APU) and demonstrate or certify the idle reduction
684	684	technology is fully functional at all times.
685	685	(3) Written proof or certification of the weight of the
686	686	APU must be available to law enforcement officers if the
687	687	vehicle is found in violation of applicable weight laws. The
688	688	weight allowed may not exceed 400 pounds or the actual weight
689	689	proven or certified, whichever is less.
690	690	(4) It is the intent of this subsection to apply at the
691	691	state highway level the weight limit increase for vehicles
692	692	using a functioning auxiliary power or idle reduction
693	693	technology as provided in the Federal Energy Policy Act of
694	694	2005.
695	695	(c)(1) Any motor vehicle, if operated by an engine
696	696	fueled primarily by natural gas, may exceed any vehicle weight
697	697	limit, up to a maximum gross vehicle weight of 82,000 pounds,
698	698	under this section by an amount that is equal to the
699	699	difference between:
700	700	a. The weight of the vehicle attributable to the
701	701	natural gas tank and fueling system carried by that vehicle;
702	702	and
703	703	b. The weight of a comparable diesel tank and fueling
704	704	system.
705	705	(2) This subsection applies on federal interstate
706	706	highways to the weight limit increases for vehicles using an
707	707	EPA certified natural gas engine or an EPA approved conversion
708	708	unit installed on the vehicle that allows the vehicle to
709	709	operate primarily on compressed natural gas or liquefied
710	710	natural gas.
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740	740	natural gas.
741	741	(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed as
742	742	effectuating either of the following:
743	743	(1) Permitting size or weight limits on the National
744	744	System of Interstate and Defense Highways in this state in
745	745	excess of those permitted under 23 U.S.C. § 127. If the
746	746	federal government prescribes or adopts vehicle size or weight
747	747	limits greater than or less than those now prescribed by 23
748	748	U.S.C. § 127 for the National System of Interstate and Defense
749	749	Highways, the increased or decreased limits shall become
750	750	effective on the National System of Interstate and Defense
751	751	Highways in this state.
752	752	(2) Denying the operation of any vehicle or combination
753	753	of vehicles that could be lawfully operated upon the highways
754	754	and roads of this state on January 4, 1975."
755	755	"§32-9-31
756	756	Any officer enumerated in Section 32-9-3 having reason
757	757	to believe that the height, length, width, or weight of any
758	758	truck, semitrailer truck, or trailer is in excess of the
759	759	maximum limits prescribed by Section 32-9-20 , or permitted by
760	760	any permit issued under authority of Section 32-9-29 , is
761	761	authorized to measure or weigh the same, vehicle using either
762	762	by means of portable or stationary scales , and may require
763	763	such vehicle to be driven to the nearest stationary scales, in
764	764	the event such scales are within a distance of five miles . All
765	765	scales used for the weighing of vehicles as provided in this
766	766	section shall be approved by the weights and measures division
767	767	of the Department of Agriculture and Industries. The officer
768	768	shall may require the operator of the truck, semitrailer
769	769	351
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798	798	shall may require the operator of the truck, semitrailer
799	799	truck, or trailer to unload such a portion of a load as may be
800	800	necessary to decrease the gross weight of such the vehicle to
801	801	the maximum gross weight permitted by this title or by the
802	802	terms of any permit in the possession of such the operator and
803	803	issued under the provisions of Section 32-9-29 (, which excess
804	804	load, when unloaded, shall be at the sole risk of the owner ),
805	805	or, at the election of the operator, the officer shall permit
806	806	the operator to move such the vehicle and its load to the
807	807	nearest incorporated town or the nearest court having
808	808	jurisdiction, at which place the excess load shall be
809	809	unloaded. The refusal of any such operator to permit his or
810	810	her truck, semitrailer truck, or trailer to be measured or
811	811	weighed, or to proceed to a stationary scales or to unload the
812	812	excess load shall constitute , is a violation of this chapter."
813	813	Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
814	814	1, 2025.
815	815	379
816	816	380
817	817	381
818	818	382
819	819	383
820	820	384
821	821	385
822	822	386
823	823	387
824	824	388
825	825	389
826	826	390
827	827	391
828	828	392
829	829	393
830	830	394