The bill amends Sections 32-9-20 and 32-9-31 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to include specific types of trucks, such as dump trucks, concrete mixing trucks, and fuel trucks, in the exceptions to weight limits on highways. New legal language specifies that these trucks are exempt from certain axle spacing requirements as long as they do not exceed a weight of 20,000 pounds per axle plus an allowable load tolerance. Additionally, trucks delivering asphalt plant mix and concrete mixing trucks operating within 50 miles of their home base are exempt from certain requirements if they comply with the maximum allowable gross weight. The bill also revises the procedures for using portable scales to enforce weight limits and updates the authority of individuals authorized to enforce these regulations, while making nonsubstantive technical revisions to align the existing code with current legal standards.

Furthermore, the bill introduces provisions that make it a violation for a vehicle to travel on bridges deemed incapable of carrying the load by the Director of Transportation, while allowing drivers to adjust loads to meet weight requirements without being considered in violation. It empowers county governing bodies to set weight limitations for county highways and allows the Department of Transportation to post weight limits on roads and bridges. The bill also provides exceptions for vehicles transporting agricultural commodities and those using auxiliary power units or fueled by natural gas, allowing for increased weight limits under certain conditions. Key deletions include the removal of the term "vehicles" in specific contexts, replaced with "vehicle," and modifications to enforcement language to grant officers more discretion. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, following unanimous support in the Senate.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 32-9-20, 32-9-31
Engrossed: 32-9-20, 32-9-31