Bill Text: CA AB1953 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled

Bill Title: Vehicles: weight limits.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Enrolled) 2024-08-27 - Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0.). [AB1953 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB1953-Enrolled.html

Enrolled  August 29, 2024
Passed  IN  Senate  August 26, 2024
Passed  IN  Assembly  August 27, 2024
Amended  IN  Senate  August 08, 2024
Amended  IN  Senate  May 15, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1953

Introduced by Assembly Member Villapudua

January 29, 2024

An act to amend Section 35551 of, and to add Section 35559 to, the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1953, Villapudua. Vehicles: weight limits.
Existing state and federal laws set specified limits on the total gross weight imposed on the highway by a vehicle with any group of 2 or more consecutive axles. Existing federal law prohibits the maximum gross vehicle weight of a vehicle operated by an engine fueled primarily by natural gas or powered primarily by means of electric battery power from exceeding 82,000 pounds. Existing state law, to the extent expressly authorized by federal law, authorizes a near-zero-emission vehicle or a zero-emission vehicle, as defined, to exceed the weight limits on the power unit by up to 2,000 pounds.
This bill would clarify that the power unit of a near-zero emission or zero-emission vehicle, as defined, is authorized to exceed the allowable gross weight limits by up to a maximum of 2,000 pounds, as specified. This bill would also clarify that the maximum gross vehicle weight for a near-zero-emission vehicle or a zero-emission vehicle is 82,000 pounds.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 35551 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:

35551.
 (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section or Section 35551.5, the total gross weight in pounds imposed on the highway by any group of two or more consecutive axles shall not exceed that given for the respective distance in the following table:
Distance in feet between
the extremes of any group
of 2 or more consecutive
axles
2 axles
3 axles
4 axles
5 axles
6 axles
 4  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 5  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 6  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 7  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 8  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 9 ........................
39,000
42,500
42,500
42,500
42,500
10  ........................
40,000
43,500
43,500
43,500
43,500
11  ........................
40,000
44,000
44,000
44,000
44,000
12  ........................
40,000
45,000
50,000
50,000
50,000
13  ........................
40,000
45,500
50,500
50,500
50,500
14  ........................
40,000
46,500
51,500
51,500
51,500
15  ........................
40,000
47,000
52,000
52,000
52,000
16  ........................
40,000
48,000
52,500
52,500
52,500
17  ........................
40,000
48,500
53,500
53,500
53,500
18  ........................
40,000
49,500
54,000
54,000
54,000
19  ........................
40,000
50,000
54,500
54,500
54,500
20  ........................
40,000
51,000
55,500
55,500
55,500
21  ........................
40,000
51,500
56,000
56,000
56,000
22  ........................
40,000
52,500
56,500
56,500
56,500
23  ........................
40,000
53,000
57,500
57,500
57,500
24  ........................
40,000
54,000
58,000
58,000
58,000
25  ........................
40,000
54,500
58,500
58,500
58,500
26  ........................
40,000
55,500
59,500
59,500
59,500
27  ........................
40,000
56,000
60,000
60,000
60,000
28  ........................
40,000
57,000
60,500
60,500
60,500
29  ........................
40,000
57,500
61,500
61,500
61,500
30  ........................
40,000
58,500
62,000
62,000
62,000
31  ........................
40,000
59,000
62,500
62,500
62,500
32  ........................
40,000
60,000
63,500
63,500
63,500
33  ........................
40,000
60,000
64,000
64,000
64,000
34  ........................
40,000
60,000
64,500
64,500
64,500
35  ........................
40,000
60,000
65,500
65,500
65,500
36  ........................
40,000
60,000
66,000
66,000
66,000
37  ........................
40,000
60,000
66,500
66,500
66,500
38  ........................
40,000
60,000
67,500
67,500
67,500
39  ........................
40,000
60,000
68,000
68,000
68,000
40  ........................
40,000
60,000
68,500
70,000
70,000
41  ........................
40,000
60,000
69,500
72,000
72,000
42  ........................
40,000
60,000
70,000
73,280
73,280
43  ........................
40,000
60,000
70,500
73,280
73,280
44  ........................
40,000
60,000
71,500
73,280
73,280
45  ........................
40,000
60,000
72,000
76,000
80,000
46  ........................
40,000
60,000
72,500
76,500
80,000
47  ........................
40,000
60,000
73,500
77,500
80,000
48  ........................
40,000
60,000
74,000
78,000
80,000
49  ........................
40,000
60,000
74,500
78,500
80,000
50  ........................
40,000
60,000
75,500
79,000
80,000
51  ........................
40,000
60,000
76,000
80,000
80,000
52  ........................
40,000
60,000
76,500
80,000
80,000
53  ........................
40,000
60,000
77,500
80,000
80,000
54  ........................
40,000
60,000
78,000
80,000
80,000
55  ........................
40,000
60,000
78,500
80,000
80,000
56  ........................
40,000
60,000
79,500
80,000
80,000
57  ........................
40,000
60,000
80,000
80,000
80,000
58  ........................
40,000
60,000
80,000
80,000
80,000
59  ........................
40,000
60,000
80,000
80,000
80,000
60  ........................
40,000
60,000
80,000
80,000
80,000
(b) In addition to the weights specified in subdivision (a), two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross weight of 34,000 pounds each if the overall distance between the first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more. The gross weight of each set of tandem axles shall not exceed 34,000 pounds and the gross weight of the two consecutive sets of tandem axles shall not exceed 68,000 pounds.
(c) The distance between axles shall be measured to the nearest whole foot. When a fraction is exactly six inches, the next larger whole foot shall be used.
(d) This section does not affect the right to prohibit the use of any highway or any bridge or other structure thereon in the manner and to the extent specified in Article 4 (commencing with Section 35700) and Article 5 (commencing with Section 35750) of this chapter.
(e) The gross weight limits expressed by this section and Section 35550 shall include all enforcement tolerances.

SEC. 2.

 Section 35559 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:

35559.
 (a) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of this article, the power unit of a near-zero emission or zero-emission vehicle may exceed the allowable gross weight limits by up to a maximum of 2,000 pounds.
(2) The maximum allowance may apply to a single power unit or be distributed between more than one power unit, but shall not exceed a total of 2,000 pounds across a single vehicle or combination of vehicles.
(3) The maximum gross vehicle weight shall not exceed 82,000 pounds.
(b) This section shall not be construed to exempt any near-zero-emission or zero-emission vehicle from the weight limits prescribed in Article 2 (commencing with Section 35600), Article 3 (commencing with Section 35650), Article 4 (commencing with Section 35700), or Article 5 (commencing with Section 35750) of this chapter.
(c) This section shall not be construed to exempt any near-zero-emission or zero-emission vehicle from tire weight limits imposed by this code or in regulations adopted by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.
(d) For purposes of this section, “power unit” means a single unit or a combination of units in a near-zero emission or zero-emission vehicle that provide motive power to a drive system independent of any other power source.
(e) The terms “near-zero-emission vehicle” and “zero-emission vehicle” have the same meanings as defined in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 44258 of the Health and Safety Code.
(f) This section applies only to the extent expressly authorized by federal law.

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