SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 1561

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                 Transportation, April 2, 1999

Title:  An act relating to tires on farm machinery.

Brief Description:  Allowing solid rubber tires on farm machinery.

Sponsors:  Representatives Schoesler, Grant, McMorris, Mastin, G. Chandler, Lisk, Parlette, Mulliken, Delvin and Cox.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  4/1/99, 4/2/99 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Goings, Vice Chair; Benton, Costa, Eide, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Morton, Oke, Sellar, Sheahan, T. Sheldon, Shin and Swecker.

Staff:  Jennifer Ziegler (786-7316)

Background:  Any vehicle operating on a public highway must be equipped with pneumatic rubber tires (filled with compressed air), except when equipped with temporary spare tires that meet federal standards.  Farm machinery, with pneumatic tires and protuberances that do not damage the roadway, may be moved along a state highway without a permit.  The Department of Transportation (DOT) may issue special permits for the movement of vehicles with movable tracks, farm tractors, and farm equipment.

Farm equipment is currently being manufactured that is equipped with solid rubber tracks that allow the operator to transverse any type of terrain while keeping the tractor weight evenly distributed.  These tracks place less pounds per square inch on the surface than a conventional tire.

Summary of Bill:  Farm machinery equipped with solid rubber tracks may be moved along a state highway, without a special permit, as long as the tracks do not damage the highway.  (If DOT determines that the solid rubber tracks are damaging the highway, the department may prohibit their use under current law.)

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Farm machinery with solid rubber tracks is becoming more common and often there is not time to get a permit during harvest.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Representative Mark Schoelser, prime sponsor; Captain Eric Robertson, Washington State Patrol; Bill Garvin, Washington State Farm Bureau.