(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) Current restrictions on the movement on the highways of manufactured homes in excess of 14 feet in width has caused the closure of some manufactured housing manufacturing facilities, that have, in turn, relocated to other states in order to compete with interstate commerce.
(2) Those restrictions on the movement of manufactured homes could cause the closure of at least three more manufacturing facilities within the next 12 months, thereby laying off some 500 employees, while at the same time those manufacturing facilities relocate to other states.
(3) The Department of Transportation has a policy allowing permitted loads in excess of 14 feet in width for the general trucking industry and the boating industry.
(4) The Legislature supports allowing the movement on the highways of manufactured homes in excess of 14 feet in width, with appropriate safeguards, because this policy will result in both of the following:
(A) Enable the manufactured housing industry to produce homes for export to other states, thereby keeping jobs within the state and benefiting the state’s economy.
(B) Permit the building of manufactured homes with eaves, which provide structural and aesthetic benefits to the homes.
(b) The Legislature further finds and declares that allowing the movement on the highways of manufactured homes that are 16 feet in width, with appropriate safeguards, will benefit the state’s economy and will allow production of more affordable and aesthetic manufactured homes.
(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 278, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018