AB162: Bill Text

LRB-0616/1

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1997 - 1998 LEGISLATURE

1997 Assembly BILL 162

March 6, 1997 - Introduced by Representatives Urban, Kaufert, Notestein, Schafer and Bock, cosponsored by Senators Risser and Grobschmidt. Referred to Committee on Highways and Transportation.

AB162,1,3 An Act to amend 347.46 (2) (intro.); and to create 347.46 (2) (d) of the statutes; relating to: requiring mudguards on motor trucks and semitrailers equipped with dump bodies.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, privately owned motor trucks and semitrailers that are equipped with dump bodies and operated on a highway between cities are not required to be equipped with rear fenders or mudguards. This bill requires such vehicles to be equipped with mudguards. Minimum specifications are established for mudguards on vehicles equipped with dump bodies that dump through the floor of the cargo body and which are transporting sand, gravel, dirt, rock or similar material. Failure to comply with the requirement of mudguards on these vehicles may result in a forfeiture of not less than $100 nor more than $200.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB162, s. 1 Section 1. 347.46 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB162,2,7 347.46 (2) (intro.) No person shall operate on a highway in intercity movement any privately owned motor truck or privately owned semitrailer drawn by a truck tractor, except those motor trucks and semitrailers equipped with dump bodies, unless such motor truck or semitrailer is equipped with rear fenders or mudguards or, except for those motor trucks and semitrailers equipped with dump bodies, rear fenders of such material and so constructed and placed as to restrict to a minimum the splashing of water, mud or other material which may be thrown by the rear wheels. Such rear fenders or mudguards shall meet the following minimum specifications:

AB162, s. 2 Section 2. 347.46 (2) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

AB162,2,13 347.46 (2) (d) Notwithstanding pars. (a) to (c), the mudguards on a motor truck or semitrailer equipped with a dump body that dumps through the floor of the cargo body and which is transporting sand, gravel, dirt, rock or similar material shall be mounted to the rear of the axles, cover the entire width of the vehicle and have a ground clearance of not more than 18 inches when the vehicle is loaded.

AB162, s. 3 Section 3. Effective date.

AB162,2,16 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication.

AB162,2,17 (End)