Light and high profile vehicle closures-2.

Plain English Breakdown

The summary does not specify the exact conditions for non-residents.

Penalties for Ignoring Road Closures

This law makes it a crime to ignore signs telling light and high-profile vehicles or heavy trucks not to use certain roads, with fines and possible jail time.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a new penalty for drivers who do not follow road closure signs meant for light and high profile vehicles or other weight-based closures.
• For the first offense, drivers must pay $1,000 in fines and could face up to 30 days in jail.
• If someone commits another violation within three years of their first one, they have to pay a $2,500 fine and might go to jail for up to 30 days.
• A second or later offense is considered reckless driving when deciding if the driver's license should be suspended.
• Requires drivers who break this rule to pay any fines right away.

Who It Names or Affects

• Drivers of light and high profile vehicles, such as trucks with tall loads.
• People who drive heavy trucks or other weight-based road closures.

Terms To Know

Misdemeanor

A crime that is less serious than a felony but more serious than an infraction, often punishable by fines and jail time of up to one year.

Reckless driving

Driving in a way that shows a disregard for the safety of others on the road.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law only applies to signs placed by state or local governments.
• It does not specify what happens if someone cannot pay the fine immediately.
• The penalties do not apply to non-residents unless they are operating a vehicle under specific conditions.

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 24LSO-0598

Bill No.:

SF0113

Effective:

7/1/2024

LSO No.:

24LSO-0598

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0035

Chapter No.:

78

Prime Sponsor:

Pappas

Catch Title:

Light and high profile vehicle closures-2.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Creating an offense and penalties for willfully failing to observe signs for closure to light and high profile vehicles or other weight based road closures.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act establishes a misdemeanor criminal offense for any person who willfully fails to observe any sign, warning or notice (among other things) placed or given for road closure to light and high profile vehicles or for other weight based road closures.

For a first offense, a person failing to observe a light and high profile or weight based road closure is subject to a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and may be subject to imprisonment for up to thirty (30) days.

For a second or subsequent offense within three (3) years of the first offense, the person must pay a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) and may be subject to imprisonment for up to thirty (30) days. A second or subsequent offense is deemed to be reckless driving for purposes of any driver licensing action.

The act requires any person who is guilty of this offense to pay the required fine.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

24LSO-0598

ORIGINAL Senate

ENGROSSED
File No
.
SF0113

ENROLLED ACT NO. 35,

SENATE

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2024 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to highways; creating a penalty for violating signs and markers for closures to light and high profile vehicles and other weight based closures; requiring fines imposed to be paid by the driver of the vehicle at the time of the violation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 24
‑
1
‑
109(a) and by creating a new subsection (d) is amended to read:

24
‑
1
‑
109.

Closing or restricting use; failure to observe signs and markers; exceptions.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a
ny person who willfully fails to observe any sign, marker, warning, notice
,
or direction, placed or given under W.S. 24
‑
1
‑
108 is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof by any court of competent jurisdiction, shall be subject to a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) or to imprisonment for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

(d)

Any person who willfully fails to observe any sign, marker, warning, notice or direction placed or given under W.S. 24
‑
1
‑
108 for closure to light and high profile vehicles or other weight based closures is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall:

(i)

For a first offense, be subject to a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and may be subject to imprisonment not to exceed thirty (30) days;

(ii)

For a second or subsequent offense within three (3) years after a conviction for a violation of this subsection, be subject to a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) and may be subject to imprisonment not to exceed thirty (30) days. For purposes of any driver licensing action, a conviction under this paragraph shall be deemed reckless driving under W.S. 31
‑
5
‑
229;

(iii)

As the driver of the light and high
‑
profile vehicle at the time of the violation of this subsection, be required to pay any fine imposed under this subsection.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2024
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1