- Joined
- Apr 16, 2005
- Location
- Sharon, SC
just read this on another forum....relevant to a lot of past conversations about trailer weight/CGVWR/and haul vs. tow definitions.
Relevent part highlighted
Thanks Mark! Here I is........
In addition to Robin Parker and myself, representatives from the North Carolina Chamber (of Commerce) and the Retail Merchants Association were there helping to represent the boaters of North Carolina (along with the folks who support NC finally getting into the 21st centruy by allowing 53' semitrailers). This was a good thing because neither Robin nor I had a clue as to how this whole process worked.......
Several changes to S1695 have made that are not yet on the website. I have a copy, but of interest to this group are the following changes:
- The requirement for a permit to tow boats up to 120" wide has been removed again, but a requirement has been added that amber lights must be displayed on the widest part of the boat at night (I was told that this change was proposed by the Senate committee before it was added to House Bill 2167) . We would still be able to tow up to 120" wide any day and at night, and over 120" 7 days per week during daylight hours only and with a permit.
- The drivers license change to allow a combination of vehicles up to 26000 lbs to be operated with only a Class C license has been amended to cover any tow vehicle/trailer combo up to 26K (not just boat trailers) and a restriction was added to exclude drivers under 18 to this change.
- Some of the agricultural-related changes were amended to make them more acceptable to those who had issues with possible damage to roads and bridges.
Sen. Jenkins (the primary sponsor of S1695) got up and addressed the committee, and he had in fact done his homework. He specifically mentioned the incident in Brunswick County last fall in which the SKA fisherman was fined over $2000. He also cited the safety statistics that would support that trailer boaters will not likely present a safety hazard if this bill is passed. Most notably, he stated that "some common sense needs to be applied here". Obviously he also spoke about the agriculture-related issues and without going into the minutia he adequately justified those proposed changes (in my mind anyway).
The committee chairman (Sen. Clodfelter of Mecklenburg Co.) asked several members of the Highway Patrol who were present if NCSHP had any major concerns. Their statement was that they had no major concerns that would warrant committee disapproval and that they would continue to address the few concerns they still had with the committee members and sponsors.
Following that, a vote was taken and the committee members present voted unanimously to recommend S1695 as favorable. I do not know where it goes from there...hopefully on to the Senate floor.
I was able to speak directly to Sen. Neal Hunt prior to the meeting, and I thanked him for the support that he has provided on this issue - and commended him for his email responses to our concerns.
Relevent part highlighted
Thanks Mark! Here I is........
In addition to Robin Parker and myself, representatives from the North Carolina Chamber (of Commerce) and the Retail Merchants Association were there helping to represent the boaters of North Carolina (along with the folks who support NC finally getting into the 21st centruy by allowing 53' semitrailers). This was a good thing because neither Robin nor I had a clue as to how this whole process worked.......
Several changes to S1695 have made that are not yet on the website. I have a copy, but of interest to this group are the following changes:
- The requirement for a permit to tow boats up to 120" wide has been removed again, but a requirement has been added that amber lights must be displayed on the widest part of the boat at night (I was told that this change was proposed by the Senate committee before it was added to House Bill 2167) . We would still be able to tow up to 120" wide any day and at night, and over 120" 7 days per week during daylight hours only and with a permit.
- The drivers license change to allow a combination of vehicles up to 26000 lbs to be operated with only a Class C license has been amended to cover any tow vehicle/trailer combo up to 26K (not just boat trailers) and a restriction was added to exclude drivers under 18 to this change.
- Some of the agricultural-related changes were amended to make them more acceptable to those who had issues with possible damage to roads and bridges.
Sen. Jenkins (the primary sponsor of S1695) got up and addressed the committee, and he had in fact done his homework. He specifically mentioned the incident in Brunswick County last fall in which the SKA fisherman was fined over $2000. He also cited the safety statistics that would support that trailer boaters will not likely present a safety hazard if this bill is passed. Most notably, he stated that "some common sense needs to be applied here". Obviously he also spoke about the agriculture-related issues and without going into the minutia he adequately justified those proposed changes (in my mind anyway).
The committee chairman (Sen. Clodfelter of Mecklenburg Co.) asked several members of the Highway Patrol who were present if NCSHP had any major concerns. Their statement was that they had no major concerns that would warrant committee disapproval and that they would continue to address the few concerns they still had with the committee members and sponsors.
Following that, a vote was taken and the committee members present voted unanimously to recommend S1695 as favorable. I do not know where it goes from there...hopefully on to the Senate floor.
I was able to speak directly to Sen. Neal Hunt prior to the meeting, and I thanked him for the support that he has provided on this issue - and commended him for his email responses to our concerns.
