Arkansas 2025 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas Senate Bill SB496 Draft / Bill

Filed 03/18/2025

                    Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law. 
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State of Arkansas     1 
95th General Assembly A Bill     2 
Regular Session, 2025  	SENATE BILL 496 3 
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By: Senator Caldwell 5 
By: Representative Hollowell 6 
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8 
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PERMITS FOR 9 
SPECIAL CARGOES; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE 10 
ISSUANCE OF A PERMIT FOR SPECIAL CARGO TRANSPORTED BY 11 
A FARM MACHINERY EQUIPMENT HAULER; AND FOR OTHER 12 
PURPOSES. 13 
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Subtitle 16 
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PERMITS FOR 17 
SPECIAL CARGOES; AND TO AMEND THE LAW 18 
CONCERNING THE ISSUANCE OF A PERMIT FOR 19 
SPECIAL CARGO TRANSPORTED BY A FARM 20 
MACHINERY EQUIPMENT HAULER. 21 
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 23 
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 SECTION 1.  Arkansas Code § 27 -35-210(a)(2)(A)(iii), concerning the 25 
farm vehicles and machinery for which it is not necessary to obtain a permit 26 
for special cargo issued by the State Highway Commission, is amended to read 27 
as follows: 28 
 (iii)  The vehicle or machinery is either: 29 
 (a)  Being transported by a farm machinery 30 
equipment dealer hauler or repair person in making a delivery of a new or 31 
used vehicle or new or used machinery to the farm of the purchaser; or 32 
 (b)  Being used in making a pickup and delivery 33 
of the vehicle or machinery from the farm to a shop of a farm machinery 34 
equipment dealer hauler or repair person for repairs and return to the farm; 35 
and 36    	SB496 
 
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 SECTION 2.  Arkansas Code § 27 -35-210(p)(1)—(3), concerning the 2 
issuance of a permit for special cargo issued by the State Highway Commission 3 
to transport farm machinery equipment, is amended to read as follows: 4 
 (p)(1)  Except as provided in subdivision (a)(2)(A) of this section, 5 
the commission may issue a special permit valid for one (1) year authorizing 6 
the movement of a vehicle hauling farm machinery equipment that exceeds the 7 
maximum width authorized under § 27 -35-206, but does not exceed twelve feet 8 
(12′), if a farm machinery equipment dealer hauler: 9 
 (A)  Applies to the commission for the special permit; and 10 
 (B)  Pays a fee not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) 11 
per vehicle authorized under this subdivision (p)(1). 12 
 (2)  A farm machinery equipment dealer hauler is responsible for 13 
the safe routing of a vehicle issued a permit under subdivision (p)(1) of 14 
this section, including without limitation ensuring the highways traveled by 15 
the vehicle are sufficiently wide for the safety of the vehicle and the 16 
traveling public. 17 
 (3)  The commission may require that a farm machinery equipment 18 
dealer hauler provide a bond or other security to compensate the Arkansas 19 
Department of Transportation in the event of: 20 
 (A)  Damage to a highway or a highway structure caused by a 21 
vehicle issued a permit under subdivision (p)(1) of this section; or 22 
 (B)  Costs related to the extrication of a vehicle issued a 23 
permit under subdivision (p)(1) of this section from a width -restricted 24 
highway or a highway construction or maintenance zone. 25 
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