AB147: Bill Text

LRB-1557/1

PJH:wlj:pg

2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Assembly BILL 147

March 13, 2003 - Introduced by Representatives Pettis, Krawczyk, Hines and F. Lasee, cosponsored by Senator Zien. Referred to Committee on Highway Safety.

AB147,1,4 An Act to amend 343.30 (1n), 346.57 (4) (gm), 346.57 (6) (b), 346.60 (2) (b), 349.11 (2) (a) and 349.11 (8) (intro.); and to create 346.57 (4) (gr) of the statutes; relating to: the maximum speed limit applicable to vehicles operated on freeways and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the maximum speed limit on any freeway or expressway is 65 miles per hour where such a speed limit is posted by official signs erected by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Freeways and expressways are state trunk highways that have four or more lanes of traffic physically separated by a median or barrier. An express way gives preference to through traffic by utilizing interchanges or by limiting access to selected public roads and public driveways; whereas a freeway gives such preference by limiting access to interchanges only.

This bill increases the maximum speed limit applicable to freeways to 70 miles per hour.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to result if the bill is enacted.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

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

AB147, s. 1 Section 1. 343.30 (1n) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB147,2,10 343.30 (1n) A court shall suspend the operating privilege of a person for a period of 15 days upon the person's conviction by the court of exceeding the applicable speed limit as established by s. 346.57 (4) (gm), (gr), or (h), by 25 or more miles per hour. If the conviction makes the person subject to suspension under s. 343.085 or 343.32, the court shall order the suspension of the person's operating privilege and notify the secretary of the order. Upon receiving the notice, the secretary shall act as authorized under s. 343.32 or 343.085. Any suspension under this subsection shall date from the day the secretary acts on the order of suspension of the operating privilege.

AB147, s. 2 Section 2. 346.57 (4) (gm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB147,2,12 346.57 (4) (gm) Sixty-five miles per hour on any freeway or expressway.

AB147, s. 3 Section 3. 346.57 (4) (gr) of the statutes is created to read:

AB147,2,14 346.57 (4) (gr) Seventy miles per hour on any freeway.

AB147, s. 4 Section 4. 346.57 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB147,2,18 346.57 (6) (b) The applicable limit specified under sub. (4) (gm) is or (gr) is not effective unless official signs giving notice of the applicable limit have been erected by the department.

AB147, s. 5 Section 5. 346.60 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB147,2,21 346.60 (2) (b) Except as provided in sub. (3m) or (5), any person violating s. 346.57 (4) (gm) or (gr) may be required to forfeit not less than $50 nor more than $300.

AB147, s. 6 Section 6. 349.11 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB147,3,3 349.11 (2) (a) Declare a speed limit which is in excess of the limits stated in s. 346.57 (4) (h), except as provided in s. 346.57 (4) (gm) and (gr).

AB147, s. 7 Section 7. 349.11 (8) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB147,3,7 349.11 (8) (intro.) Notwithstanding the authority otherwise granted to modify speed restrictions in this section, except as provided in sub. (9) and s. 346.57 (4) (gm) and (gr), the department may not establish or continue:

AB147,3,8 (End)