S-0039.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5579

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State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Loveland, Honeyford and Hale

Read first time 01/28/1999.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Allowing solid rubber tires on farm machinery.

    AN ACT Relating to tires on farm machinery; and amending RCW 46.37.420.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 46.37.420 and 1990 c 105 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) It is unlawful to operate a vehicle upon the public highways of this state unless it is completely equipped with pneumatic rubber tires except vehicles equipped with temporary-use spare tires that meet federal standards that are installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

    (2) No tire on a vehicle moved on a highway may have on its periphery any block, flange, cleat, or spike or any other protuberance of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire, except that it is permissible to use farm machinery equipped with pneumatic tires or solid rubber tracks having protuberances that will not injure the highway, and except also that it is permissible to use tire chains or metal studs imbedded within the tire of reasonable proportions and of a type conforming to rules adopted by the state patrol, upon any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice, or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid.  It is unlawful to use metal studs imbedded within the tire between April 1st and November 1st.  The state department of transportation may, from time to time, determine additional periods in which the use of tires with metal studs imbedded therein is lawful.

    (3) The state department of transportation and local authorities in their respective jurisdictions may issue special permits authorizing the operation upon a highway of traction engines or tractors having movable tracks with transverse corrugations upon the periphery of the movable tracks or farm tractors or other farm machinery, the operation of which upon a highway would otherwise be prohibited under this section.

    (4) Tires with metal studs imbedded therein may be used between November 1st and April 1st upon school buses and fire department vehicles, any law or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding.

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