VEHICLE WEIGHT: ID INFO DISPLAY S.B. 277 (S-1):
COMMITTEE SUMMARY
Senate Bill 277 (Substitute S-1)
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to remove a requirement for all commercial vehicles over 5,000 pounds to display the vehicle owner's information on the vehicle.
The Code requires all commercial vehicles with a single or combination gross weight rating or total gross weight of more than 5,000 pounds, and all towing or platform bed wrecker or road service vehicles, to paint or permanently attach the owner's or lessee's name, city, and state, or registered logo or emblem, to each side of the vehicle. The letters must be at least three inches in height, not lower than the bottom edge of the door, and in sharp color contrast to the background. The bill would remove the display requirement as to commercial vehicles over 5,000 pounds, but retain it for all towing or platform bed wreckers or road service vehicles in operation on public highways in the state.
The bill would delete a provision allowing the use of removable devices as an acceptable method of vehicle identification for vehicles other than towing or platform bed wrecker road service vehicles.
The bill also would delete a current exemption for a truck with a farm or manufacturer license plate that has a gross vehicle weight of less than 10,000 pounds.
MCL 257.723 Legislative Analyst: Glenn Steffens
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate, but likely minor, negative fiscal impact on State and local government. By decreasing the number of vehicles to which the commercial vehicle identification rules apply, the bill could result in a marginal decrease in civil infraction tickets issued. Violators of this section who are found responsible for a civil infraction pay a fine of $18, which benefits public libraries. In addition to the fine, a violator pays court costs and a $40 Justice System Assessment, which benefits a variety of State entities such as the Highway Safety Fund of the Michigan State Police.
[Please see the PDF version of this analysis, if available, to view this image.]
This 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.