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 explanations 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 vehicles 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