Following snowplows and providing a penalty

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, a person operating a vehicle may not follow an official snowplow closer than 200 feet when upon a highway having a posted speed limit of more than 35 miles per hour when the snowplow is: 1) engaged in winter highway maintenance snow and ice removal and 2) displaying two flashing red or amber lamps or a flashing red or amber lamp of the dome-light type. A person does not violate this provision when overtaking and passing a snowplow, or when a snowplow is stopped or standing in the highway. A person violating this provision may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for the second or subsequent conviction within a year.

This bill prohibits a person operating a vehicle from following an official snowplow, equipped and engaged as described above, closer than 75 feet when upon a highway having a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less. This bill also requires a person operating a vehicle that approaches from the rear an official snowplow, equipped and engaged as described above, that is stopped at an intersection to stop not less than 20 feet from the snowplow and remain stopped until the snowplow resumes motion. Other than the intersection stopping requirement, the current exceptions regarding overtaking and passing a snowplow remain. The existing penalties for following a snowplow too closely apply to the prohibitions in this bill.

Who's behind it

10 lawmakers are its authors⁠. 6 are Republicans and 4 are Democrats.

5 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.