New Covered Loads Legislation
Contractors should keep an eye on House Bill 1007 about covered loads. The bill:
- Requires that from August 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014, any vehicles operating on a paved public highway hauling dirt, sand, rocks, or gravel susceptible to escaping must use a cover if the vehicle is equipped with a load cover.
- Requires that after June 30, 2014, a vehicle operating on a paved public highway hauling dirt, sand, rocks, or gravel susceptible to escaping must use a cover and must not exceed the horizontal freeboard of the bed of the vehicle hauling the load.
- Provides an exemption for the Department of Transportation when applying deicers and sand for snow and ice control, maintenance operations for emergencies, or maintenance on closed roads, but still requires six inches of freeboard.
- Requires the Washington State Patrol to conduct random emphasis patrols to enforce covered load requirements.
The bill is sponsored by Reps. Kagi, Clibborn, Stanford, Ryu, Moscoso, Hudgins, Reykdal, Fitzgibbon, Appleton, Maxwell, Green and Fey.
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