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HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 439 PRINTER'S NO. 1819
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 481
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY J. WARD, YAW, ROTHMAN, PENNYCUICK, BROOKS,
LANGERHOLC, STREET, BARTOLOTTA, PHILLIPS-HILL, COSTA,
HUTCHINSON, STEFANO, MARTIN, CULVER, DUSH AND MASTRIANO,
MARCH 20, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 16, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in size, weight and load, providing for milk
hauling during inclement weather and emergency declaration
and further providing for permit for movement during course
of manufacture.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 4910. Milk hauling during inclement weather and emergency
declaration.
(a) Movement upon highways.--A combination up to 80,000
pounds, combination consistent with section 4968(a.2)(4)
(relating to permit for movement during course of manufacture)
or farm vehicle which is hauling a milk product to or from a
milk plant or to or from a dairy farm, or is traveling to a
dairy farm to pick up a milk product, shall be allowed by the
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department, local authorities and law enforcement to move upon
highways within their respective jurisdiction 24 hours a day,
seven days a week during:
(1) Inclement weather as defined in department
regulations when the department restricts the operation of a
combination or farm vehicle.
(2) A declared national, State or local emergency when
the Governor issues a proclamation or executive order
impeding the operation of a combination or farm vehicle.
(b) Decal.--A one-time decal, designed and issued by the
board, that identifies the combination or farm vehicle as a
licensed milk hauler shall be placed on the driver's side of the
cab of the combination or farm vehicle. The board shall charge a
fee for the issuance of the decal, the amount of which fee may
not exceed the administrative costs of producing and issuing the
decal and may impose the same fee to replace a decal that has
been lost, stolen, damaged or become illegible.
(c) Penalty prohibited.--A penalty may not be imposed on the
driver of a combination or farm vehicle if the operation of the
vehicle complies with this section.
(d) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Board." The Pennsylvania Milk Board.
"Dairy farm." As defined in section 1 of the act of July 2,
1935 (P.L.589, No.210), referred to as the Milk Sanitation Law.
"Milk plant." As defined in section 1 of the Milk Sanitation
Law.
Section 2. Section 4968(a.2)(4) and (b) of Title 75 are
amended to read:
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§ 4968. Permit for movement during course of manufacture.
* * *
(a.2) Specifications.--
* * *
(4) A combination [of vehicles] which is hauling milk to
or from a [manufacturer] milk plant or to or from a dairy
farm, or is traveling to a dairy farm to pick up milk,
may be permitted by the department and local authorities
to move upon highways within their respective
jurisdictions 24 hours a day, seven days a week, [except
during inclement weather as defined in department
regulations,] consistent with section 4910 (relating to
milk hauling during inclement weather and emergency
declaration) if the gross weight does not exceed 95,000
pounds and the weight of any nonsteering axle does not
exceed 21,000 pounds. A permit may be issued for this
type of movement upon an interstate highway. An
application to the department for the movement of milk,
except for raw milk, shall designate the route the
applicant requests to use.
* * *
(b) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection:
"Bulk milk." The term shall mean milk, as defined in section
1 of the act of July 2, 1935 (P.L.589, No.210), referred to as
the Milk Sanitation Law, which is not transported in packages.
"Condensed milk" and "evaporated milk." The term shall mean
manufactured dairy products as defined in section 1 of the act
of July 2, 1935 (P.L.589, No.210), referred to as the Milk
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Sanitation Law, which is not transported in packages.
"Dairy farm." As defined in section 1 of the act of July 2,
1935 (P.L.589, No.210), referred to as the Milk Sanitation Law.
"Hot box." Consists of an enclosure consisting of welded
steel plate chained to a semitrailer with a removable lid lined
with refraction for purposes of insulation and retention of
heat.
"Milk." The term shall mean any of the following:
(1) Bulk milk.
(2) Evaporated milk.
(3) Raw milk.
(4) Condensed milk.
"Milk plant." As defined in section 1 of the act of July 2,
1935 (P.L.589, No.210), referred to as the Milk Sanitation Law.
"Raw milk." [Has the meaning given to it in] As defined in
section 8(a) of the act of July 2, 1935 (P.L.589, No.210),
referred to as the Milk Sanitation Law.
"Sugar." The term shall refer to granulated raw, semi-
refined or refined sugar derived from the processing of sugar
cane or sugar beets, requiring further processing and not
intended for direct consumption or retail sale.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
AMENDING TITLE 75 (VEHICLES) OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED
STATUTES, IN SIZE, WEIGHT AND LOAD, FURTHER PROVIDING FOR
PERMIT FOR MOVEMENT DURING COURSE OF MANUFACTURE.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. SECTION 4968(A.2)(4) AND (B) OF TITLE 75 OF THE
PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED STATUTES ARE AMENDED TO READ:
§ 4968. PERMIT FOR MOVEMENT DURING COURSE OF MANUFACTURE.
* * *
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(A.2) SPECIFICATIONS.--
* * *
(4) A COMBINATION OF VEHICLES WHICH IS HAULING MILK TO
OR FROM A [MANUFACTURER] MILK PLANT OR TO OR FROM A DAIRY
FARM, OR IS TRAVELING TO A DAIRY FARM OR MILK PLANT TO PICK
UP MILK, MAY BE PERMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL
AUTHORITIES TO MOVE UPON SPECIFIED HIGHWAYS, INCLUDING
INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS, WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS 24
HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, EXCEPT DURING INCLEMENT
WEATHER AS DEFINED IN DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS[, IF THE GROSS
WEIGHT DOES NOT EXCEED 95,000 POUNDS AND THE WEIGHT OF ANY
NONSTEERING AXLE DOES NOT EXCEED 21,000 POUNDS. A PERMIT MAY
BE ISSUED FOR THIS TYPE OF MOVEMENT UPON AN INTERSTATE
HIGHWAY. AN APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE MOVEMENT OF
MILK, EXCEPT FOR RAW MILK, SHALL DESIGNATE THE ROUTE THE
APPLICANT REQUESTS TO USE.] IF ALL OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY:
(I) THE COMBINATION OF VEHICLES IS ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING:
(A) A FIVE-AXLE COMBINATION VEHICLE HAULING MILK
WITH A GROSS WEIGHT NOT EXCEEDING 95,000 POUNDS.
(B) A SIX-AXLE COMBINATION VEHICLE HAULING RAW
MILK OR BULK MILK WITH A GROSS WEIGHT NOT EXCEEDING
107,000 POUNDS.
(C) A SEVEN-AXLE COMBINATION VEHICLE HAULING RAW
MILK OR BULK MILK WITH A GROSS WEIGHT NOT EXCEEDING
117,000 POUNDS.
(II) THE WEIGHT OF ANY NONSTEERING AXLE DOES NOT
EXCEED 21,000 POUNDS.
(III) THE APPLICATION FOR A PERMIT DESIGNATES THE
ROUTE THAT THE APPLICANT REQUESTS TO USE. THIS
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SUBPARAGRAPH SHALL NOT APPLY TO AN APPLICATION FOR A
PERMIT FOR A FIVE-AXLE COMBINATION VEHICLE HAULING RAW
MILK OR BULK MILK WITH A GROSS WEIGHT NOT EXCEEDING
95,000 POUNDS.
(IV) IF SUBPARAGRAPH (III) APPLIES, THE DEPARTMENT
OR LOCAL AUTHORITY APPROVING THE PERMIT DETERMINES THAT
THE ROUTE REQUESTED UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (III) IS CAPABLE
OF HANDLING THE APPLICABLE GROSS WEIGHT UNDER
SUBPARAGRAPH (I).
(B) DEFINITIONS.--AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING
WORDS AND PHRASES SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS
SUBSECTION:
"BULK MILK." THE TERM SHALL MEAN MILK, AS DEFINED IN SECTION
1 OF THE ACT OF JULY 2, 1935 (P.L.589, NO.210), REFERRED TO AS
THE MILK SANITATION LAW, WHICH IS NOT TRANSPORTED IN PACKAGES.
"CONDENSED MILK" AND "EVAPORATED MILK." THE TERM SHALL MEAN
MANUFACTURED DAIRY PRODUCTS AS DEFINED IN SECTION 1 OF THE ACT
OF JULY 2, 1935 (P.L.589, NO.210), REFERRED TO AS THE MILK
SANITATION LAW, WHICH IS NOT TRANSPORTED IN PACKAGES.
"DAIRY FARM." HAS THE MEANING GIVEN TO IT IN SECTION 1 OF
THE ACT OF JULY 2, 1935 (P.L.589, NO.210), REFERRED TO AS THE
MILK SANITATION LAW.
"HOT BOX." CONSISTS OF AN ENCLOSURE CONSISTING OF WELDED
STEEL PLATE CHAINED TO A SEMITRAILER WITH A REMOVABLE LID LINED
WITH REFRACTION FOR PURPOSES OF INSULATION AND RETENTION OF
HEAT.
"MILK." THE TERM SHALL MEAN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
(1) BULK MILK.
(2) EVAPORATED MILK.
(3) RAW MILK.
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(4) CONDENSED MILK.
"MILK PLANT." HAS THE MEANING GIVEN TO IT IN SECTION 1 OF
THE ACT OF JULY 2, 1935 (P.L.589, NO.210), REFERRED TO AS THE
MILK SANITATION LAW.
"RAW MILK." HAS THE MEANING GIVEN TO IT IN THE ACT OF JULY
2, 1935 (P.L.589, NO.210), REFERRED TO AS THE MILK SANITATION
LAW.
"SUGAR." THE TERM SHALL REFER TO GRANULATED RAW, SEMI-
REFINED OR REFINED SUGAR DERIVED FROM THE PROCESSING OF SUGAR
CANE OR SUGAR BEETS, REQUIRING FURTHER PROCESSING AND NOT
INTENDED FOR DIRECT CONSUMPTION OR RETAIL SALE.
SECTION 2. THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IN 60 DAYS.
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