BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 995 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 13, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair AB 995 (Bigelow) - As Amended April 29, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Transportation |Vote:|15 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill adds onion hauling trucks, as defined, to the list of farm vehicles that are exempt from DMV registration requirements, under specified conditions, including that the AB 995 Page 2 truck is designed exclusively to transport onion a distance not to exceed 20 miles from the field to a processing or packing shed. The bill also requires the driver of an onion hauling truck to have a valid Class A driver's license. FISCAL EFFECT: Potential, but very minor nonreimbursable costs for enforcement, partially offset by fine revenues. COMMENTS: 1)Background and Purpose. Current law, with certain exceptions, requires that motor vehicles operated on highways be registered with DMV. Additionally, existing law requires that commercial vehicles comply with the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1996, which generally requires payment of fees to support highway maintenance and enforcement programs, periodic safety inspections conducted by the CHP, and participation in operator drug and alcohol testing programs. While use of farm vehicles on highways is generally restricted to protect the safety of the traveling public, existing law also exempts from registration requirements and commercial vehicle safety requirements a number of farm vehicles that are operated on highways beyond the typical one-mile limit. AB 995 exempts onion hauling trucks, as defined, from registration requirements and allows them to travel up to 20 miles on highways. If an onion farmer wanted to use the truck for some other purpose, then the truck would have to be registered with DMV in order to be operated on highways. AB 995 additionally requires that these trucks comply with all commercial vehicle safety requirements. AB 995 Page 3 2)Prior Legislation. In 2014, AB 1908 (Bigelow), which would have exempted onion hauling trucks from registration and commercial motor vehicle safety requirements, was never heard in policy committee at the author's request. Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081