FAILURE TO STOP AT WEIGH STATION H.B. 5090:
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 5090 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Scott VanSingel
House Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure
Senate Committee: Transportation
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to make it a civil infraction, rather than a misdemeanor, for a driver or owner of a truck or truck tractor, a truck or truck tractor with other vehicles in combination, or any special mobile equipment to fail to stop at or bypass any scales or weighing station. The bill also would remove reference to a driver or owner of a commercial vehicle with other vehicles or trailers in combination.
Currently, a driver or owner of a commercial vehicle with other vehicles or trailers in combination, a truck or truck tractor, a truck or truck tractor with other vehicles in combination, or any special mobile equipment, who fails to stop at or bypasses any scales or weighing station is guilty of a misdemeanor.
The bill would change the violation to a civil infraction, and would delete reference to a commercial vehicle with other vehicles or trailers in combination.
The bill would take effect 90 days after being enacted.
(Under the Code, unless a different penalty is specified, a misdemeanor is punishable by imprisonment for up to 90 days or a maximum fine of $100, or both. Except as provided for specific violations, the penalty for a civil infraction is a civil fine of up to $100. For a civil infraction committed while the violator was driving a commercial vehicle, the penalty is a fine of up to $250.)
MCL 257.724 Legislative Analyst: Drew Krogulecki
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State, and could have a positive fiscal impact on local government. Fewer misdemeanor arrests and convictions could reduce resource demands on law enforcement, court systems, community supervision, and jails. If the fine revenue from civil infractions were less than the amount generated from the specific misdemeanor, any associated decrease in fine revenue would decrease funding to public libraries. The reverse also would occur, if the civil fine were greater.
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.