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Truckers would benefit
from Hinkle's bill
House unanimously approves streamlined approach
for weighing hay and straw
Truck drivers who
transport hay and straw are one step closer to a more streamlined
process for weighing and getting their products to market.
House Bill 2923, sponsored by Rep. Bill Hinkle, would allow hay or
straw processing facilities to provide weight tickets to truck drivers
when they pick up their loads, providing the scale used is approved by
the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The bill passed the
House unanimously today.
"This is an example of the
House passing a common-sense measure that will help truck drivers get
their products to market faster," explains Hinkle, R-Cle Elum. "I hope
the legislation will continue to see support in the Senate and with the
governor."
This bill would provide a
technical fix to a gap in current law. As it stands, truck drivers must
load their vehicles with hay or straw and then drive to the closest
certified weigh station. However, without knowing whether the vehicle is
overweight, the state patrol can pull the vehicle over and issue a
citation. The other challenge for truck drivers is they may have to
detour miles off their intended route to get their load weighed and
certified.
"It just makes sense for a
processing facility with a certified scale to be able to weigh a
trucker's load," adds Hinkle.
The bill now goes to the
Senate for consideration.
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For more information, contact:
Mike Deising, Public
Information Officer - (360) 786-7698
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