A bill to establish uniform national standards for the continued regulation, by the several States, of commercial motor vehicle width on interstate highways.
Public Law 98-17 · S. 926 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Apr 5, 1983 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Sen. Robert Packwood (R-OR)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 to prohibit States, other than Hawaii, from imposing vehicle width limitations of more or less than 102 inches on any segment of Federal-aid highways with traffic lanes of a width of 12 feet or more. Exempts States from such prohibition with respect to motor vehicles that exceed 102 inches in width until such States adopt regulations to conform to the prohibition. Excludes certain vehicle safety devices from width calculations.
Allows States to grant special use permits to vehicles in excess of the width limitation. Authorizes States to enforce commercial vehicle width limitations on Federal-aid highways.
Repeals certain provisions of the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1983, to conform to this Act.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 7 actions.
- Apr 5, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-17.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Mar 25, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Mar 24, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.