BILL NUMBER: AB 2051 CHAPTERED 09/09/02 CHAPTER 442 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 9, 2002 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 9, 2002 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 14, 2002 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY MAY 23, 2002 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 29, 2002 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 18, 2002 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 15, 2002 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Dickerson FEBRUARY 15, 2002 An act to add and repeal Section 35401.8 to the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2051, Dickerson. Vehicles: truck lengths: combinations transporting agricultural biomass. Existing law regulates the length of certain combinations of vehicles, including lengths attributable to certain extension devices used in connection with vehicles. Violation of these provisions is an infraction pursuant to other provisions of existing law. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those provisions, a combination of vehicles designed and used to transport agricultural biomass, and that may consist of a truck tractor, a semitrailer, and a semitrailer or trailer, may extend to a total combined length of 75 feet, if the length of the front trailer does not exceed 32 feet, and the length of the rear trailer does not exceed 28 feet 6 inches. The bill would provide that the distance between the axles of the front trailer would have to be the same as that of a trailer that is 28.5 feet in length. The bill would also provide that no extension would be allowed for the front trailer. The bill would provide that the rear trailer could include an extension not to exceed 18 inches, or it could have 1/3 of a bale that extends off of the back of the trailer, or it could have both. This bill would authorize operation of these vehicles within the Counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, and Yuba, but would not apply to highways designated as national network routes, as specified. Violation of these provisions would be an infraction, pursuant to other existing provisions of law. By establishing provisions, the violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the Department of the California Highway Patrol in consultation with the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on the effect of this act on public safety, and to report the findings to the Legislature on or before July 1, 2005. This bill would provide that the provisions of this act would become inoperative on July 1, 2006, and would be repealed on January 1, 2007. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 35401.8 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read: 35401.8. (a) Notwithstanding Sections 35401 and 35402, a combination of vehicles designed and used to transport agricultural biomass, and that may consist of a truck tractor, a semitrailer, and a semitrailer or trailer, may extend to a total combined length of 75 feet, if the length of the front trailer does not exceed 32 feet, and the length of the rear trailer does not exceed 28 feet 6 inches. The distance between the axles of the front trailer shall be the same as that of a trailer that is 28.5 feet in length. No extension shall be allowed for the front trailer. The rear trailer may have one-third of a bale that extends off of the back of the trailer, the rear trailer may also have an extension not to exceed 18 inches, or the rear trailer may have both the extension and the one-third bale extending off the back of the trailer. (b) This section shall only apply to those combinations of vehicles operating within the Counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, and Yuba. (c) This section does not apply to those highways designated by the United States Department of Transportation as national network routes. (d) The Department of the California Highway Patrol, in consultation with the Department of Transportation, shall conduct a study on the effect of this statute on public safety, and report their findings to the Legislature on or before July 1, 2005. (e) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2006, and shall be repealed as of January 1, 2007, unless a later enacted statute which is enacted before January 1, 2007, deletes or extends that date. SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.