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Committee adopts changes to allow opt-in street-legal special-purpose vehicles, reports SB 63 favorably
Summary
Senate Bill 63, which creates an opt-in framework for county registration and inspection of street-legal special-purpose vehicles and defines insurance requirements, was amended in committee and reported favorably 18-0-1.
The House Appropriations and Revenue Committee on March 13, 2025, advanced Senate Bill 63, which sets a framework for locally opt-in "street-legal special-purpose vehicles," including registration, inspection and insurance treatment.
Senator Brandon Storm, sponsor of the bill, said the committee substitute allows local governments to opt in rather than requiring participation. Storm, joined at the table by Senator Scott Maine and Eric Hubbard, executive director of Backroads of Appalachia, told the committee the vehicles would be insured in the same form and amounts as motorcycles and that farm and agricultural vehicles are exempt. He described limits that a vehicle could not travel more than 20 miles between uses and that registration would occur through the county clerk after a sheriff's inspection; certificates would be required on re-registration.
Committee members adopted a late committee amendment to align the bill's insurance language with existing statutory language used for off-highway vehicles (KRS 304.39-110 referenced in the committee's explanation). The committee amendment was rolled into the committee substitute and adopted.
After motions, the committee recorded a final roll call. Chair Jeff Petrie announced that Senate Bill 63 "as amended by PHS 1 with committee amendment roll therein" had received 18 yes votes, 0 nay votes, and 1 pass vote and would be reported with a favorable expression to the floor.
The measure sets local opt-in authority, limits vehicle travel to 20 miles as described in committee, requires sheriff inspection and county registration, and treats the vehicles as insured similarly to motorcycles. The committee did not discuss statewide implementation timelines or any state appropriation on the record.
