[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 639 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 639

To amend the definition of commercial motor vehicle in section 31101 of 
title 49, United States Code, to exclude certain farm vehicles, and for 
                            other purposes.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 19, 2009

 Mr. Inhofe (for himself, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Coburn) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the definition of commercial motor vehicle in section 31101 of 
title 49, United States Code, to exclude certain farm vehicles, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DEFINITION OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE.

    Section 31101(1)(A) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
                    ``(A)(i) except as provided in clause (ii), has a 
                gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of 
                at least 10,001 pounds, whichever is greater; or
                    ``(ii) in the case of a vehicle with farm-
                designated license plates that is engaged in the 
                transportation of agricultural commodities or farm 
                supplies or a vehicle that is controlled by a farmer 
                and used to transport agricultural commodities or farm 
                supplies to or from a farm, has a gross vehicle weight 
                rating or gross vehicle weight the greater of which 
                exceeds the minimum weight of a commercial motor 
                vehicle established by the State in which it is being 
                operated;''.

SEC. 2. PRESERVATION OF GRANTS FOR STATES THAT INCREASE THE MINIMUM 
              WEIGHT FOR COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES.

    Section 31102 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
    ``(e) Preservation of Grants for States That Increase the Minimum 
Weight for Commercial Motor Vehicles.--The Secretary may not withhold 
grant funding from a State under this section solely because the State 
authorizes drivers of vehicles engaged in the transportation of 
agricultural commodities or farm supplies that have a gross vehicle 
weight of more than 10,000 pounds and less than 26,001 pounds, to 
operate without complying with Federal regulations relating to 
commercial motor vehicles.''.
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