Baird legislation benefiting Hoosier farmers passes House

Sunday, January 25, 2015
Assisting District 44 State Rep. Jim Baird (R-Greencastle) for a day, South Putnam High School senior Carlee Schlatter recently served as a House page during the 2015 session of the Indiana General Assembly. The program offers an opportunity for students age 13-18 to visit the Statehouse and experience a day of legislative activity. (Courtesy photo)

INDIANAPOLIS -- A bill co-authored by District 44 State Rep. Jim Baird (R-Greencastle) is designed to benefit farmers and Indiana's agriculture industry.

House Bill (HB) 1017, if enacted, would expand the weight exemptions already allowed in Indiana for certain commercial motor vehicles, to include vehicles transporting wood chips, bark and sawdust and farm tractors.

The bill has unanimously passed the Indiana House and will now be sent to the Senate for further consideration and debate.

"Hoosier farmers are extremely valuable to our state and local economies, especially in west-central Indiana," Rep. Baird said. "That is why we need to do everything we can to support them as they provide food, sustenance and products that countless Hoosiers rely on."

HB 1017 expands the definition of "commercial motor vehicle" and "gross combination weight" to include vehicles transporting wood chips, bark and sawdust.

Under the bill, those vehicles would be excluded from the strict overweight penalties that can come from driving on public roads.

Additionally, Rep. Baird added language to the bill to define the term "farm tractor" to exclude wagons, trailers and other implements of agriculture.

That would benefit the agriculture industry, he said, by broadening the scope of large farm vehicles that are permitted to use public roads.

"These specifications will more clearly define these units and allow them to move from field to field or to repair and maintenance facilities on public rights of way without disruption," Rep. Baird explained.

For more information about HB 1017, persons may visit iga.in.gov.

Rep. Baird represents all of Putnam County as well as portions of Clay, Morgan, Owen and Parke counties.

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