State Budget Committee Adopts Rep. Jacque’s Provision on Farm Tractors
4/23/2015 4:15:00 AM
Rep. André Jacque (R-De Pere) applauded the unanimous bi-partisan vote by the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee in support of his request to ensure that farm tractors may be operated on a roadway without being registered with the Wisconsin Department of Registration if the tractor is used for special occasions such as display, tractor or antique vehicle clubs, parade purposes, and other occasional uses, but not regular daily transportation.
The motion was based on 2013 AB 259, authored by Rep. Jacque and Sen. Dave Hansen (D- Green Bay).
“This is a common-sense, very bi-partisan proposal to get government off the backs of farmers and hobbyists as they seek to enjoy and establish a wide variety of community events, from dairy breakfasts and parades to tractor club events and charitable fundraisers,” said Jacque, noting that some county sheriff’s departments and state troopers had increasingly warned tractor club members of the possible legal repercussions of simply driving down the road.
An additional headache created by the DOT’s new emphasis on issue focuses meant that the violation of state law in driving tractors to or in events made it more difficult to obtain liability insurance to cover those events or the tractors themselves, which has had a chilling effect on event participation.