Senate committee advances bill to let loggers use annual permits for heavy equipment

Representative Wardlaw told the Senate Transportation, Technology & Legislative Affairs committee that House Bill 1674 is intended to "help our loggers move their equipment from job site to job site." He said some operators have been cited under current weight rules and that many rural hauls lack phone service to obtain single-day permits.

Wardlaw said the bill would establish a yearly permit and provide operators with a map and alerts identifying bridges they cannot cross. He emphasized the measure would preserve existing width exemptions — with escorts, flagging and tie-downs — while giving highway authorities tools to avoid bridge damage.

Major Bickerstaff of the Arkansas Highway Police introduced himself to the committee and offered to answer enforcement questions. Senator Garner asked whether officers are currently issuing weight-related citations; Major Bickerstaff and the sponsor confirmed violations have been written under present practices.

Members noted stakeholder support: the Association of Counties and the highway department have worked with the sponsor, and the sponsor said loggers’ associations back the bill. Senator Tucker clarified the bill applies to forestry equipment moving from job site to job site and is not the larger, more controversial 90,000-pound proposal that is pending elsewhere.

With no public testimony, the committee adopted a motion by Senator Chesterfield, seconded by Senator Pitch, and advanced HB 1674 by voice vote.

The committee did not record roll-call tallies in the transcript; the chair declared the bill passed out of committee. The next procedural step will be whatever floor scheduling the Rules and Calendars process assigns.