Bill Text: MA H3246 | 2009-2010 | 186th General Court | Introduced
Bill Title: Reducing excess noise on motorcycles
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-01-20 - Public Hearing date 10/6 at 11:00 AM in Hearing Room B1 [H3246 Detail]
Download: Massachusetts-2009-H3246-Introduced.html
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
PRESENTED BY:
Bradley H. Jones, Jr.
_______________
To the
Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to motorcycle noise reduction.
_______________
PETITION OF:
|
Name: |
District/Address: |
|
Bradley H. Jones, Jr. |
20th Middlesex |
|
Mr. Tisei |
Middlesex and Essex |
|
Tom Manning |
1046 Main Street
|
The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts
_______________
In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
_______________
An Act relative to motorcycle noise reduction.
Be
it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 7 of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the sentence contained in lines 51 to 57, inclusive, and inserting in place thereof, the following:-
Every motor vehicle so operated shall be provided with a muffler or other suitable device to prevent unnecessary noise; provided, however, that every motorcycle so operated shall be provided with a muffler or other suitable device that produces a sound pressure level of not more than eighty-two decibels or such lower amount of decibels as the Registrar may prescribe. Sound pressure levels in decibels shall be measured on the "A'' scale of a sound level meter approved by the Registrar. Measurements shall be made of overall vehicle noise at maximum speed at fifty feet in accordance with test procedure SAE J192 of the Society of Automotive Engineers, or with such other test procedure for measurement of sound pressure levels as the registrar may adopt. Every motor vehicle shall be provided with a suitable bell, horn or other means of signaling, with suitable lamps, and with a lock, key or other device to prevent such vehicle from being set in motion by unauthorized persons, or otherwise contrary to the will of the owner or person in charge thereof.
SECTION 2. Section 7U of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following paragraph:-
Any person cited for a noise violation under this section shall be subject to a fine, in an amount to be determined by the registrar. Any person cited for a second or subsequent violation within a one-year period shall be prohibited from operating the motorcycle used when committing such violation until such time as the motorcycle has passed an inspection and is deemed to comply with acceptable sound level standards, as determined by the registrar.
SECTION 3. There is hereby established a special commission to study the problems associated with excessive noise caused by motorcycles. Said commission shall consist of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles or his designee, who shall serve as chair; two members of the Senate, one of whom shall be appointed by the President of the Senate and one of whom shall be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; and two members of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one of whom shall be appointed by the House Minority Leader; two representatives of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association; and a representative from a Massachusetts-based motorcycle dealership. In conducting its study, the commission shall consider, but not be limited to, making a determination as to the best methods for educating motorcycle riders about the public nuisance created by excessive sound levels and how to best address this problem. Said commission shall report its findings and recommendations for corrective legislation to the House and Senate committees on Ways and Means and to the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security no later than September 1, 2010.
