PUBLIC UTILITY VEHICLES H.B. 5259 (S-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 5259 (Substitute S-2 as reported)
Sponsor: Representative Tom Casperson
House Committee: Transportation
Senate Committee: Transportation
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to revise the process by which a public utility may obtain from a county road commission a permit to operate a public utility vehicle in excess of seasonal weight restrictions; and provide for an annual permit for nonemergency public utility work.
The Code prescribes maximum axle loads and gross vehicle weights for various configurations of vehicles, which must be reduced during the months of March, April, and May. The reduced loads and weights do not apply to public utility vehicles on a highway, road, or street under the jurisdiction of a local road agency, if the public utility notifies the county road commission for roads under its authority at least 48 hours in advance. The county road commission then must issue a permit and charge a fee that does not exceed the administrative costs incurred.
Under the bill, instead, the exception to the loading maximums and gross vehicle weight would apply to vehicles owned or operated by public utilities under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Public Service Commission only under the following circumstances:
-- For emergency public utility work, the public utility vehicle traveled to and from the site of the work at a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour.
-- For nonemergency public utility work, the utility applied to the county road commission annually for roads under its authority before the vehicle traveled to and from the work site.
When the public utility provided the required notice for nonemergency public utility work, the road commission would have to issue it an annual permit for nonemergency work. The local unit of government could charge a fee for the actual and reasonable cost of issuing the permit per year.
MCL 257.722 Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 12-13-06 Fiscal Analyst: Debra Hollon
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb5259/0506