Read 1^st time January 8, 2004, and copies ordered printed.

STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk

3207L.01I

AN ACT

To repeal section 307.172, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to bumper height of motor vehicles, with a penalty provision.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

            Section A. Section 307.172, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 307.172, to read as follows:

            307.172. 1. No person shall operate any passenger motor vehicle upon the public streets or highways of this state, the body of which has been altered in such a manner that the front or rear of the vehicle is raised at such an angle as to obstruct the vision of the operator of the street or highway in front or to the rear of the vehicle.

            2. Every motor vehicle which is licensed in this state and operated upon the public streets or highways of this state shall be equipped with front and rear bumpers if such vehicle was equipped with bumpers as standard equipment. This subsection shall not apply to motor vehicles designed or modified primarily for off-highway purposes while such vehicles are in tow or to motorcycles or motor driven cycles, or to motor vehicles registered as historic motor vehicles when the original design of such vehicles did not include bumpers nor shall the provisions of this subsection prohibit the use of drop bumpers. The superintendent of the Missouri state highway patrol shall adopt rules and regulations relating to bumper standards. Maximum bumper heights of both the front and rear bumpers of motor vehicles shall be determined by weight category of gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) measured from a level surface to the highest point of the bottom of the bumper when the vehicle is unloaded and the tires are inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressure. Maximum bumper heights are as follows:

                                                                                    Maximum front         Maximum rear

                                                                                    bumper height             bumper height

 Motor vehicles except

  commercial motor

  vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 inches                  22 inches

 commercial motor

  vehicles (GVWR)

  4,500 lbs and under . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 inches                    26 inches

  4,501 lbs through

  7,500 lbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 inches                        29 inches

  7,501 lbs through

  9,000 lbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 inches                    30 inches

  9,001 lbs through

  11,500 lbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 inches                      31 inches

            3. A motor vehicle in violation of this section shall not be approved during any motor vehicle safety inspection required pursuant to sections 307.350 to 307.390.

            4. Any person knowingly violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a class C misdemeanor.