Brief ⁽¹⁾

HB 2144, as amended, relates to exemptions from vehicle registration. The bill would exempt from vehicle registration trucks permanently mounted with a hydraulic concrete pump and placing boom. These vehicles would be allowed to be moved on the highway from one job location to another, or to or from places of storage, delivery, or repair without being registered. An amendment to this provision would ensure that ready-mix concrete trucks are not included in this exemption.

The bill also would change the current exemption for self-propelled cranes to include only those where the operator on a job site works from a housing or module attached to the crane and the operator does not stand beside the rig and the crane is not constructed for the transportation of property, except the property that is required for the crane itself.

Background

The spokesperson of Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping testified in support of the bill, as introduced. His testimony included a description and uses of mobile hydraulic boom concrete pumping units.

The Assistant Bureau Chief of the Bureau of Traffic Engineering, Kansas Department of Transportation, testified against the bill. He noted that exemptions from vehicle registration would reduce State Highway Fund revenue and encourage other exemptions.

The Director of Vehicles testified that the registration exemption pertaining to self-propelled cranes should apply only to those noted in the brief. She noted that as a practical matter most of these cranes are already registered. She also requested the amendment to ensure that ready-mix concrete trucks would not be exempt from vehicle registration.

The Department of Revenue indicates that passage of this bill would exempt a small number of vehicles from registration requirements. The loss of these registration fees for the State Highway Fund is estimated to be insignificant.

The bill, as introduced, pertained only to the exemption to boom pump trucks. The House Transportation Committee added the amendments pertaining to self-propelled cranes and ready-mix concrete trucks.

Boom trucks are self-contained units consisting of a truck and frame and the pump itself. They are used for concrete pours for everything from slabs and medium high-rise buildings, to large volume commercial and industrial projects. They range from single-axle truck mounted pumps used for their high maneuverability, suitability for confined areas, and cost-performance value, to huge, six axle rigs used for their powerful pumps and long reach on high-rise and other large-scale projects.

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