URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT (UPDATE)
North Dakota Bill Regarding Vehicle Modifications Signed Into Law
A bill (S.B. 2166) that originally sought to increase the population of vehicles prohibited from modifying the manufacturer's original suspension, steering or brake system was heavily amended, approved by the North Dakota State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Jack Dalrymple. The new law makes major changes to the state’s modified vehicle law and extends the law to all registered vehicles in the state. The previous law applied only to vehicles weighing 7,000 pounds or less. In addition to extending the application of the law, the bill also reduces the severity of a modified vehicle violation. These violations are now similar to a traffic ticket and earn violators only one point on their license. Additionally, the bill removes the crime of “operating a modified vehicle" from the list for which law enforcement may take a driver into custody. Violators will now receive a summons and fine that they can pay or contest in court. Some of the specifications that modified vehicles must meet were altered by the bill. Tires on modified vehicles must now be marked as required by the U.S. Department of Transportation and modified vehicles must meet the equipment requirements applicable to all vehicles registered in North Dakota. The bill removed a provision in the law that limited the maximum outside diameter for tires on modified vehicles to forty-four inches and another section that limited the maximum lift in the suspension system of a modified vehicle to four inches.
Thank you to all who participated in voicing an opinion on this bill.