Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted
and is intended to be omitted in the law.
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1798
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR TRENT.
7268S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To repeal section 304.032, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the
operation of utility vehicles, with penalty provisions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 304.032, RSMo, is repealed and one new 1
section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 304.032, 2
to read as follows:3
304.032. 1. [No person shall operate a utility 1
vehicle, as defined in section 301.010, upon the highways of 2
this state, except as follows: 3
(1) Utility vehicles owned and operated by a 4
governmental entity for official use; 5
(2) Utility vehicles operated for agricultural 6
purposes or industrial on-premises purposes between the 7
official sunrise and sunset on the day of operation, unless 8
equipped with proper lighting; 9
(3) Utility vehicles operated by handicapped persons 10
for short distances occasionally only on the state's 11
secondary roads when operated between the hours of sunrise 12
and sunset; 13
(4) Governing bodies of cities may issue special 14
permits for utility vehicles to be used on highways within 15
the city limits by licensed drivers. Fees of fifteen 16
SB 1798 2
dollars may be collected and retained by cities for such 17
permits; 18
(5) Governing bodies of counties may issue special 19
permits for utility vehicles to be used on county roads 20
within the county by licensed drivers. Fees of fifteen 21
dollars may be collected and retained by the counties for 22
such permits; 23
(6) Municipalities may by resolution or ordinance 24
allow utility vehicle operation on streets or highways under 25
the governing body's jurisdiction. Any person operating a 26
utility vehicle pursuant to a municipal resolution or 27
ordinance shall maintain proof of financial responsibility 28
in accordance with section 303.160 or maintain any other 29
insurance policy providing equivalent liability coverage for 30
a utility vehicle] Any person may operate a utility vehicle, 31
as defined in section 301.010, upon streets and highways 32
where the posted speed limit is fifty-five miles per hour. 33
This subsection does not prohibit a utility vehicle from 34
crossing a road or street at an intersection where the road 35
or street being crossed has a posted speed limit of more 36
than fifty-five miles per hour. 37
2. Any person operating a utility vehicle shall 38
maintain proof of financial responsibility in accordance 39
with section 303.160 or maintain any other insurance policy 40
providing equivalent liability coverage for a utility 41
vehicle. 42
3. No person shall operate a utility vehicle within 43
any stream or river in this state, except that utility 44
vehicles may be operated within waterways which flow within 45
the boundaries of land which a utility vehicle operator 46
owns, or for agricultural purposes within the boundaries of 47
land which a utility vehicle operator owns or has permission 48
SB 1798 3
to be upon, or for the purpose of fording such stream or 49
river of this state at such road crossings as are customary 50
or part of the highway system. All law enforcement 51
officials or peace officers of this state and its political 52
subdivisions or department of conservation agents or 53
department of natural resources park rangers shall enforce 54
the provisions of this subsection within the geographic area 55
of their jurisdiction. 56
[3.] 4. A person operating a utility vehicle on a 57
highway [pursuant to an exception covered in this section] 58
shall have a valid operator's or chauffeur's license, except 59
that a handicapped person operating such vehicle [under 60
subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of this section] for short 61
distances occasionally only on this state's roads when 62
operated between the hours of sunrise and sunset, but shall 63
not be required to have passed an examination for the 64
operation of a motorcycle, and the vehicle shall be operated 65
at speeds of less than forty-five miles per hour. 66
[4.] 5. No persons shall operate a utility vehicle: 67
(1) In any careless way so as to endanger the person 68
or property of another; or 69
(2) While under the influence of alcohol or any 70
controlled substance. 71
[5.] 6. No operator of a utility vehicle shall carry a 72
passenger, except for agricultural purposes. The provisions 73
of this subsection shall not apply to any utility vehicle in 74
which the seat of such vehicle is designed to carry more 75
than one person. 76
[6.] 7. A violation of this section shall be a class C 77
misdemeanor. In addition to other legal remedies, the 78
attorney general or county prosecuting attorney may 79
institute a civil action in a court of competent 80
SB 1798 4
jurisdiction for injunctive relief to prevent such violation 81
or future violations and for the assessment of a civil 82
penalty not to exceed one thousand dollars per day of 83
violation. 84
✓