Brief ⁽¹⁾

SB 73 would clarify that farm trailers used and designed to transport bales of hay from a field to a storage area or from a storage area to a feedlot and used only incidently on a highway, are exempt from vehicle registration. The exemption would not apply to a farm semitrailer. The other change would place current language pertaining to the farm trailer registration exemption found in KSA 2000 Supp. 8-143, and place a similar provision in KSA 2000 Supp. 8-128, the statute that sets forth the vehicles which are exempt from registration.

Background

Conferees who testified in favor of the bill included Senator Lee and the Executive Secretary, Purebred Division, Kansas Livestock Association. Conferees noted that KSA 2000 Supp. 8-143 provides for exemption of registration fees if trailers are used and designed for "picking up" and transporting hay or forage from a field to a storage area, or from a storage area to a feedlot, as long as they only incidently operate on highways. It was noted that the term "picking up" has been interpreted by some law enforcement agencies to mean that the exemption from registration applies only to trailers which both pick up and transport hay. Testimony from conferees indicated that these trailers are not designed to pick up bales of hay, but instead transport them. They must be loaded by other means. The changes clarify that the registration exemption applies to farm trailers used and designed to transport hay.

The Department of Revenue indicates that passage of this bill would not significantly affect State Highway Fund revenues.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext.cgi