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Minutes for HB2160 - Committee on Transportation
Short Title
Exempting the transport of cotton bales from the secured load requirements under certain conditions.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 22, 2023
Chairperson Petersen called the meeting to order at 8:33 a.m. and opened the hearing on HB2160.
Assistant Revisor Adam Siebers provided a briefing on the bill (Attachment 1). He explained that the bill exempts trucks and trailers from the load requirements when hauling cotton bales intrastate from production or storage to market or to storage if the bales are fully loaded with only one layer and the transport vehicle is equipped with cradles or side posts.
Responding to a question, Mike Hoeme, Kansas Corporation, replied that the bill does not jeopardize state highway funds or interfere with federal regulations.
Shahira Stafford, Kansas Cooperative Council, testified as a proponent for the bill (Attachment 2). She noted that most Co-op members are farmer-owned agricultural cooperatives; two members operate cotton gins in three locations. She reported that the bill will address the requirements of the Kansas Highway Patrol regarding stabilizing the 5000-pound cotton bales during transport. She noted that the House amended the bill to remove commercial haulers.
Via Web-ex Dan Metz, Chairman, Southern Kansas Cotton Cooperative Association, spoke in support of the bill (Attachment 3). He said the requirements of cradles and/or stakes were sufficient for safely transporting a single layer of cotton bales. For bales loaded in two layers, stabilizing straps are needed. He provided pictures to illustrate his testimony.
Gary Feist, CEO, Southern Kansas Cotton Cooperative Association, related his experiences as a gin operator, where he processed up to 100 fully-loaded trucks each day, a schedule which could be expedited if single-layer bales were not strapped down (Attachment 4).
John Donley, Kansas Farm Bureau, provided written-only testimony in support of the bill (Attachment 5).
The Chair closed the hearing on HB2160 and invited members to consider the bill.
A motion was made by Senator Petersen and seconded by Senator Dietrich to amend the bill by inserting a comma and the word "sideboards" before not less that 12 inches high. The motion passed.
Senator Dietrich moved, seconded by Senator Corson, to recommend HB2160 as amended to be favorable for passage.
