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Minutes for HB2420 - Committee on Transportation
Short Title
Allowing military surplus vehicles to register with the division of vehicles for road use.
Minutes Content for Thu, Mar 12, 2020
The Chairperson called the meeting to order at 8:33 a.m. and opened the hearing on HB2420.
Staff Adam Siebers outlined the provisions of the bill. He stated that the bill would add "military surplus vehicle" to current statutes; the vehicle must be less than 35 years old and could not be used to transport passengers for hire. As amended by the House, the bill would meet the legal size and weight limits set forth in statutes. Responding to a question, Mr. Siebers replied that the bill would not apply to vehicles manufactured in other countries.
Representative Kristey Williams, District 17, testified as a proponent for the bill (Attachment 1). She provided a background for the bill; an entrepreneur in Augusta has developed a significant business restoring and servicing military surplus vehicles; the vehicles are roadworthy, but Kansas has no statute that allows these vehicles to be registered or licensed for Kansas roadways, even though they meet all safety and function regulations. Responding to questions, she replied that resale value ranges from $6000 to $12,000. Deann Williams, Deputy Director, Division of Vehicles, Kansas Department of Revenue, added that a county treasurer would receive personal property tax and the state would receive the registration fee.
Senator Tom Hawk, District 22, also spoke in support of the bill (Attachment 2). Noting that some of the vehicles were tagged "intended for off-road usage," a designation that deemed them unsuitable for use on Kansas roads. He recounted his research on how other states have addressed military surplus vehicles and concluded that the bill is a needed response to allow these vehicles to travel on Kansas roads.
David De Morrow described himself as an army veteran, a collector and restorer of military vehicles, and an expert resource to address the importance of this bill. He cited federal regulations and concluded that military surplus vehicles are safe and meet all National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations for public roads. Regarding the "off-road use only" tag, he explained that the tag occurred with only one contractor and was no longer a valid designation (Attachment 3).
The following individuals offered written-only testimony:
- Joshua C.Watkins, Ret., USAF, Global Parts Auto Group (proponent); (Attachment 4)
- Troy Palmer, President, Global Parts Auto Group (proponent); (Attachment 5)
- Christian Robinson, Director, State Government Affairs, Specialty Equipment Market Association (proponent); (Attachment 6)
- Joel Skelley, Director of Policy, Kansas Department of Transportation (Proponent); (Attachment 7)
- Jay Hall, Kansas Association of Counties (Neutral) (Attachment 8).
The Chair closed the hearing on HB2420.
