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House committee advances bill to make extreme 'squat' truck suspensions an offense
Summary
A House committee approved a motion to advance Senate Bill 4 11, which defines as an offense modifying a motor vehicle so the front bumper is at least four inches higher than the rear — a configuration sponsors say creates visibility and inspection problems.
A House committee advanced Senate Bill 4 11 on Oct. 12, 2025, after the sponsor described concerns about so‑called “squat” trucks and asked the committee for a do‑pass recommendation.
The bill, as the sponsor read it aloud in committee, targets vehicle modifications that lower the rear of a truck and raise the front, saying the suspension, frame or chassis has been altered so that the front bumper is at least four inches higher than the rear. The sponsor said that configuration can cause headlights to shine upward and can prevent drivers from seeing objects directly in front of the vehicle.
Committee members raised no public questions at the hearing and no members of the public signed up to testify. After the sponsor closed, a motion to recommend the bill “do pass” was made and the committee approved the motion by voice vote; individual roll‑call votes were not recorded in the transcript.
Sponsor comments and bill text excerpts
The sponsor told the committee the measure was intended to address two safety issues: headlights aimed upward during inspection and reduced forward visibility when the front of the vehicle is elevated. The sponsor said the original drafting had measured bumpers relative to the vehicle frame, but when other states used that approach, the sponsor said vehicle owners simply moved bumpers to evade the rule. The sponsor then read aloud language from section 2 saying a modification that causes the front bumper to be at least four inches higher than the rear would be an offense.
Implementation and next steps
Committee members did not request additional study or amendments during the hearing. The committee passed the motion to recommend the bill for further consideration; the record does not show a roll‑call tally or a next committee or floor date.
Speakers listed in the committee transcript included the bill sponsor (identified in the record only as a representative), the committee chair who presided over the hearing, and Vice Chair David, who briefly took the dais at the start of the meeting. No members of the public testified on the bill during this session.
