Private act is not an option for county

The Hardeman County Commission voted 14-2 on April 7 to request a private act from the Tennessee legislature regarding a request to exempt Hardeman County from a proposed amendment making its way through the legislature.
Tennessee Senate Bill SB412 is a proposed amendment to the original bill which allows county officials to lower weight limits on the roads and bridges for trucks, with regard to certain restrictions. The current law allows county officials to have authority to reduce the gross weight restrictions on county roads relative to the transportation of freight, with the exception of farmers and crops. The problem, according to Hardeman County Road Superintendent David Sipes, is the proposed amendment would include in those restrictions, timber and logging.
However, although the request for a private act passed the county commission, Tennessee Senator Dolores Gresham said a private act for the county was not an option.
“Our legal team tells us that a Private Act to opt out Hardeman County is not a possibility under the code. It would have to be addressed in a general law,” said Gresham. “I am told that they have had direct conversations with Chip Cary. The bill still hasn’t been fully considered in the House.”
The proposed bill passed the Tennessee Senate with a 33-0 vote on March 12 and is waiting for the House of Representatives to take action.