Senate OKs bill to make military surplus vehicles street legal

Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Wirth, a master driver with the 209th Digital Liaison Detachment, 7th Civil Support Command, advises Spc. Brian Crabtree with the 457th Civil Affairs Battalion how to recover a stuck Humvee during a drivers training course at Citizen Response 15 in Grafenwoehr, Germany, March 6. Wirth, from Panther, Valley, Pennsylvania, is one of over 150 Soldiers participating in the event as a part of the 7th CSC yearly Annual Training. (Photo Credit: Spc. Glenn Anderson (USAREUR))

FRANKFORT–The Senate today approved a bill that would make it possible for Kentuckians to receive a title and license for certain military surplus vehicles like Humvees.

Senate Bill 176, sponsored by Sen. Stephen West, would give citizens who purchase military surplus vehicles a way to make them street legal by outlining a framework for the state to follow when licensing and titling the vehicles.

“It requires the Transportation Cabinet to create a new inspection form for military surplus vehicles since a vehicle must be inspected prior to titling,” said West, R-Paris. “In order to get a title, the vehicles would have to be retrofitted with all the appropriate equipment–safety harnesses, et cetera–to meet the federal regulatory guidelines.”

Prior to passing the bill, senators approved an amendment that removed a specification in the legislation that would have limited it to four-wheeled vehicles. West said the amendment was the result of the realization that it would be helpful to expand the legislation to cover larger trucks that can used for agriculture and other purposes.

The bill was approved by the Senate on a 37-0 vote. It now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.