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Senate committee hears bill to set 65 mph limit for semi-tractor trailers; amendment narrowed to I‑40 fails
Summary
A proposal to require semi‑tractor trailers to drive at a maximum of 65 mph drew debate over whether the limit should apply statewide or be restricted to Interstate 40; a committee amendment limiting the rule to I‑40 failed and the committee issued a due‑pass on the bill’s committee substitute.
Senate Judiciary Committee members discussed Senate Bill 226 on whether to require semi‑tractor trailers to drive at a maximum speed of 65 miles per hour.
The bill sponsor, Senator Bueno, told the committee, “Senate Bill 226 just requires trucks to drive 65 miles an hour, semi truck tractors.” He said a proposed amendment would limit that requirement to Interstate 40.
Supporters of the I‑40 amendment argued that Interstate 40 carries a much larger share of commercial truck traffic and has a higher crash rate. One committee member said, “I‑40 generally carries approximately 10 times the amount of commercial vehicle traffic,” and described the mix of large commercial vehicles and passenger cars as increasing the likelihood of severe crashes.
Opponents said restricting the change only to I‑40 would leave other dangerous two‑lane or undivided highways unchanged. “I like the bill. I just don’t see why we shouldn’t slow trucks down in the rest of the state,” a senator said during committee discussion.
Committee members voted on the amendment to confine the speed requirement to I‑40. The chair ordered a roll call; the record shows a mix of yes and no responses and committee staff announced that the amendment failed. The chair then returned the bill to a vote without that amendment and the committee granted a due‑pass recommendation on the bill’s committee substitute.
The transcript records the committee taking the amendment vote by roll call and then moving to a due‑pass motion. The committee did not record a full numeric tally in the transcript excerpt provided; the amendment was announced as failed, and the bill moved forward on a due‑pass recommendation.
What happens next: the bill will be scheduled for further consideration by the full Senate if accepted by leadership. The committee discussion centered on highway safety on I‑40 versus a statewide approach and did not include outside testimony recorded in this excerpt.
