Transportation (Freight)

Amend KRS 281.600 to require the Department of Vehicle Registration to enforce federal standards for motor carriers contained in Title 49 of the United States Code and the ensuing federal regulations, unless otherwise exempted; eliminate existing exemptions from certain federal regulations for fertilizer wagons.

Direct the Legislative Research Commission to establish the Kentucky Riverport Modernization Task Force to study and make recommendations regarding Kentucky's current statutory framework and administrative regulations governing riverport authorities and their effectiveness in supporting economic development and freight mobility, modernization efforts that other states have made and their effectiveness, actions and policies that Kentucky should implement to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of Kentucky's riverports, and opportunities to strengthen public-private partnerships and regional collaboration, as well as the role of riverports in emerging supply chains; establish membership; direct the task force to meet during the 2026 Interim and submit findings and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2026.

Establish the Commercial Motor Vehicle Task Force to study commercial motor vehicle safety; establish membership; direct the task force to meet during the 2026 Interim and to submit findings and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2026.

Amend KRS 189.222 to allow vehicles with a gross weight of up to 90,000 pounds transporting fluid milk from a farm to the first market to operate on any state highway; allow for a 10% weight tolerance; provide exceptions and limitations; amend KRS 189.221 to conform.

Amend KRS 189.2226, regarding overweight allowances for hauling of building materials for homes, to require any builder of 10 or more homes in a 1 mile radius to apply for a permit before the person may operate under the exemptions; require all persons applying for a permit issued under this section to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Transportation Cabinet; allow the Transportation Cabinet to require a bond as part of the cooperative agreement; require funds collected under a cooperative agreement to be used for maintanence of state roads covered under the cooperative agreement.