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Bill would require motorists to slow or yield to slow agricultural vehicles; proponents cite safety concerns
Summary
House Bill 739 would require drivers to slow down and, where safe, yield or pull over for agricultural vehicles. Proponents described near‑misses and dangerous passing; the department of transportation said signage and public education would be needed if the law changes.
The Senate committee heard testimony on House Bill 739, a bill that would require motorists to slow down when approaching agricultural vehicles and, when safe, to move over to allow them to pass.
Rep. Edward Byrne, who introduced the bill, described practical provisions: motorists approaching an agricultural vehicle in a 70 mph zone would be required to slow to half speed (example given in testimony: slowing to about 35 mph) and give the agricultural vehicle space to move or be given the right of way. The sponsor said the bill mirrors elements of existing "move over" protections used for construction and roadside workers and aims to reduce dangerous passing and collisions when farm equipment travels on highways.
Proponents included Miles Passmore (Kalispell), who described repeated dangerous passing maneuvers by motorists, and other ag witnesses who said wide equipment and seasonal traffic in tourism corridors make safe passage difficult. Witnesses explained farmers’ practices: limiting road travel to off‑peak hours, using slow‑moving vehicle emblems, and pulling over when safe, but noted that suitable pullouts are often scarce on rural highways.
John Swartz, maintenance administrator at the Montana Department of Transportation, participated informationally and said the department would review the bill language for signage and message suitability under the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. He noted prior use of variable message signs and public service announcements (PSAs) as educational tools and that electronic signs do not cover the entire 25,000 miles of state‑maintained roads.
Committee members asked about existing local county policies (Missoula and Lake counties were cited) and about MDT capacity for signs and outreach. Sponsor Byrne and witnesses emphasized that the bill places onus both on agricultural drivers to pull over when safe and on motorists to exercise caution when passing.
The committee took testimony and questions; the hearing record in the provided transcript ends with the sponsor urging a due‑pass recommendation. No final committee vote on HB739 is recorded in the provided transcript.
