HB 23-1267

HB 23-1267 is a Colorado law that allows the Department of Transportation to create special zones on steep downhill roads where trucks are at higher risk. If these zones are set up, signs will warn truck drivers that they face doubled fines if caught speeding there. The extra money collected from these fines will be used to educate people about safety issues related to runaway trucks and to buy equipment or do studies to prevent such incidents. This law was signed by the governor on June 5, 2023, and it will take effect on January 1, 2024.

Official Summary

The act allows the department of transportation (department) to establish steep downhill grade zones within the public highways of the state where the downhill grade is 5% or greater and where there are safety concerns related to commercial motor vehicle drivers exceeding the posted speed limits. If the department establishes a steep downhill grade zone, the department must erect signs identifying the zone and notifying commercial motor vehicle drivers that increased fines are assessed for speeding in the zone. The act subjects a commercial motor vehicle driver who commits a speeding violation in a steep downhill grade zone to doubled fines and surcharges. The act creates the mountain highways commercial motor vehicle safety account (account) within the highway users tax fund and requires the state treasurer to credit one-half of the amount of each doubled fine and surcharge to the account for the department to pay costs associated with the provision of educational outreach and public information about runaway truck events, the purchase and implementation of equipment for the purpose of reducing the frequency of runaway truck events, and the completion of studies of means by which the state may reduce the frequency of runaway truck events and improve overall commercial motor vehicle safety on state highways that pass through the state's mountains. The act appropriates $54,073 to the department of revenue from the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account in the highway users tax fund for the 2023-24 state fiscal year. The act reappropriates $7,425 of the appropriation to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology to provide information technology services to the department of revenue. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2023 EFFECTIVE January 1, 2024 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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