I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3473 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit limitations on certain 

grants due to standards for covered farm vehicles and drivers, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 

Mr. BARLETTA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit limitations on certain grants due to standards for covered 

farm vehicles and drivers, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Local Farm Vehicle 

5 Flexibility Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. GRANTS TO STATES. 

7 Chapter 311 of title 49, United States Code, is 

8 amended— 

9 (1) in section 31101— 


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1 (A) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), 

2 and (4) as paragraphs (3), (4), and (5), respec3 tively; and 

4 (B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 

5 following: 

6 ‘‘(2) ‘covered farm vehicle’ means a motor vehi7 cle (including an articulated motor vehicle)— 

8 ‘‘(A) that— 

9 ‘‘(i) is registered or otherwise des10 ignated by the State for use in, or trans11 portation activities related to, the oper12 ation of farms; 

13 ‘‘(ii) is equipped with a special reg14 istration plate or other State-issued des15 ignation to allow for identification of the 

16 vehicle as a farm vehicle by law enforce17 ment personnel; 

18 ‘‘(iii) is traveling in the State of reg19 istration or designation or in another 

20 State; 

21 ‘‘(iv) is operated by— 

22 ‘‘(I) a farm owner or operator; 

23 ‘‘(II) a ranch owner or operator; 

24 or 


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1 ‘‘(III) an employee or family 

2 member of an individual specified in 

3 subclause (I) or (II); 

4 ‘‘(v) is transporting to or from a farm 

5 or ranch— 

6 ‘‘(I) agricultural commodities; 

7 ‘‘(II) livestock; 

8 ‘‘(III) agricultural supplies; or 

9 ‘‘(IV) machinery, including ma10 chinery being transported for the pur11 pose of performance of agricultural 

12 production activity or for the purpose 

13 of servicing or repairing the item 

14 being transported; 

15 ‘‘(vi) is not used in the operations of 

16 a for-hire motor carrier; 

17 ‘‘(vii) has a gross vehicle weight rat18 ing or gross vehicle weight, whichever is 

19 greater, that is— 

20 ‘‘(I) 26,001 pounds or less; or 

21 ‘‘(II) greater than 26,001 pounds 

22 and is traveling within the State of 

23 registration or designation or within 

24 150 air miles of the farm or ranch 


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1 with respect to which the vehicle is 

2 being operated; and 

3 ‘‘(viii) is not transporting materials 

4 that require a placard; or 

5 ‘‘(B) that— 

6 ‘‘(i) meets the requirements under 

7 subparagraph (A) (other than clause (vi) 

8 of such subparagraph); 

9 ‘‘(ii) is operated pursuant to a crop 

10 share farm lease agreement; 

11 ‘‘(iii) is owned by a tenant with re12 spect to that agreement; and 

13 ‘‘(iv) is transporting the landlord’s 

14 portion of the crops under that agree15 ment.’’; and 

16 (2) in section 31102— 

17 (A) in subsection (b)(2)(E), by striking the 

18 period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 

19 (B) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub20 section (f); and 

21 (C) by inserting after subsection (d) the 

22 following: 

23 ‘‘(e) LIMITATION OF AUTHORITY; STATE STANDARDS

24 FOR COVERED FARM VEHICLES AND DRIVERS.—The Sec25 retary may not terminate, reduce, limit, or otherwise interVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Sep 12, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3473.IH H3473

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1 fere with the amount or timing of grants that a State is 

2 otherwise eligible to receive under this title or title 23 as 

3 a result of any minimum standard or exemption provided 

4 by the State for a covered farm vehicle or the driver of 

5 such vehicle that is less stringent than the requirements 

6 for commercial motor vehicles and drivers established 

7 under title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, including re8 quirements pertaining to— 

9 ‘‘(1) controlled substances and alcohol use and 

10 testing; 

11 ‘‘(2) commercial driver’s licensing; 

12 ‘‘(3) driver qualifications; 

13 ‘‘(4) medical certifications; 

14 ‘‘(5) driving and operating commercial vehicles; 

15 ‘‘(6) parts and accessories for the safe oper16 ation of commercial vehicles; 

17 ‘‘(7) the maximum hours of service of drivers; 

18 ‘‘(8) vehicle inspection repair and maintenance; 

19 ‘‘(9) employee safety and health standards; and 

20 ‘‘(10) recordkeeping related to compliance with 

21 such standards.’’. 

Æ 


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