Trigg County Fiscal Court took its first steps in adopting a new state law Monday night — accepting the opening reading of an ordinance that nearly copies Senate Bill 63, known widely as the language permitting special purpose vehicles on roadways.
Judge-Executive Stan Humphries noted he and magistrates have been discussing such law over the last couple of months, and hadn’t heard much push in any direction for several reasons — two of them being needed guidance from the U.S. Department of Forestry and Land Between the Lakes, and the existence of Trigg County’s “golf cart” ordinance, which has long governed the area.
However, after conversations with County Attorney Randy Braboy, County Clerk Carmen Finley and Sheriff Aaron Acree, Humphries said it made sense to renew discussions — if only for a need to clarify boundaries.
Humphries said that Trigg County already has about 800, or so, golf carts and similarly light vehicles that are registered throughout the community.
SB 63, however, is slightly different, and Humphries confirmed that opting into this law only brings clarity into county jurisdiction and purview, meaning it does not pertain to roads managed by Fort Campbell authorities, LBL and the City of Cadiz, nor does it permit owners to drive “special purpose vehicles” on roads with speed limits at 65 miles per hour or greater — most especially the key portions of US 68/80, and all of I-24.
Humphries said residents will soon have options.
Those guidelines, Humphries and Braboy confirmed, are lengthy.
“Special purpose vehicles” are defined as all-terrain vehicles, utility terrain vehicles, minitrucks, pneumatic-tired military vehicles, full-size special purpose-built vehicles, and any other vehicles that may be self-constructed or built by an equipment manufacturer, or any vehicle that’s been “heavily modified.”
For the purposes of “street-legal,” these vehicles must have one or more headlamps, one or more tail lamps, one or more brake lamps, an illuminated registration plate, one or more rear red reflectors, an amber electric turn system on the front, an amber or red electric turn system on the rear, a braking system aside from a parking brake, a horn or similar warning device, a working muffler, rearview mirrors to the left and right of the driver, a windshield unless the driver wears eye protection, an illuminated speedometer, a seatbelt assembly for multi-passenger rides, and tires that have no less than two thirty-seconds or an inch for tread.
Again, designated highway use is restricted to 55 miles per hour, or less, and another prohibition is that these vehicles are not allowed to travel more than 20 miles on any highway displaying centerline pavement markings. LED light bars are also not permitted while operating these vehicles.
A second reading is planned for October 21, before passage codifies the language as local law.
