Lightweight utility vehicles 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, for purposes of a pilot program, a lightweight utility vehicle is defined as an engine-driven device having a gross weight of more than 700 pounds but not more than 1,999 pounds that is designed to travel on four or more low-pressure tires, is equipped with a cargo area, and is used primarily off a highway. (Lightweight utility vehicles are commonly known by their trade names, such as the John Deere Gator or Kubota RTV series.)

This bill authorizes limited-purpose operation of lightweight utility vehicles on highways. Under the bill, a lightweight utility vehicle (LUV) is a lightweight utility vehicle as defined for purposes of the pilot program, except that the term does not include any device that is equipped with a seat designed to be straddled by the operator. A person may operate in the conduct of agricultural operations an LUV on a highway, including the roadway or the shoulder of the highway, to cross the highway or to travel on the highway. A person operating an LUV on a highway is required to exercise due care, avoid interfering with the movement of other traffic, and, when operating on the roadway, operate as close as practicable to the right-hand edge of the roadway. Any operation of an LUV on a highway other than as provided in this bill or as designated under the pilot program is prohibited. An LUV is not required to be registered with DOT and is exempt from vehicle emission inspection requirements. An LUV operated on a highway is generally exempt from motor vehicle equipment requirements, but must have head lamps and tail lamps if operated at night, must have at least one stop (brake) lamp, and must be equipped with a slow moving vehicle emblem.

Who's behind it

9 lawmakers are its authors⁠. 6 are Democrats and 3 are Republicans.

4 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.