Substitute Senate Bill No. 15, introduced in the January Session of 2023 with file number 420, proposes amendments to Section 13a-26 of the general statutes to increase penalties for commercial vehicles operating on state parkways where they are not permitted. The bill defines "commercial motor vehicle" and sets a fine of five hundred dollars for a first-time violation and one thousand dollars for subsequent violations, effective October 1, 2023. The fines are to be levied against the owner or lessee of the vehicle, depending on who is operating it at the time of the infraction. Additionally, the bill repeals and substitutes subsection (b) of section 51-164n of the general statutes to include the new subsection (g) of section 13a-26 in the list of violations that can be alleged against a person, with a minor amendment changing a comma to "or" and removing another comma.

The bill also stipulates that violations are to be processed through the Centralized Infractions Bureau, allowing for payment of fines without a court appearance, which is considered a plea of nolo contendere. The bill is expected to generate additional revenue for the state due to the increased fines. It is related to HB 6676, which also seeks to increase fines for similar violations. The Transportation Committee has reported favorably on the bill with a vote of 32 to 4.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill:
TRA Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 420: