(a) Every person convicted of a violation of any weight limitation provision of Division 15 (commencing with Section 35000), and every person convicted of a violation of Section 21461 with respect to signs provided pursuant to Section 35654 or 35752, and every person convicted of a violation of Section 40001 for requiring the operation of a vehicle upon a highway in violation of any provision referred to in this section shall be punished by a fine which equals the amounts specified in the following table:

Pounds of excess weight

Fine

0– 1,000  ........................

$ 20

1,001– 1,500  ........................

30

1,501– 2,000  ........................

40

2,001– 2,500  ........................

55

2,501– 3,000  ........................

85

3,001– 3,500  ........................

105

3,501– 4,000  ........................

125

4,001– 4,500  ........................

145

4,501– 5,000  ........................

175

5,001– 6,000  ........................

.04 each lb.

6,001– 7,000  ........................

.06 each lb.

7,001– 8,000  ........................

.08 each lb.

8,001–10,000  ........................

.15 each lb.

10,001 and over  ........................

.20 each lb.

(b) No part of the penalties prescribed by this section shall be suspended for a conviction of any of the following:

(1) Section 40001 for requiring operation of a vehicle upon a highway in violation of any provision referred to in this section.

(2) Any provision referred to in this section when the amount of the weight exceeds 4,000 pounds.

(3) Any provision referred to in this section when a second or subsequent conviction of a violation thereof occurs within three years immediately preceding the violation charged.

(c) However, notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the court shall exercise discretion with respect to the imposition of the fine under this section for excess weight not exceeding 1,000 pounds if the load of the vehicle cited consisted entirely of field-loaded, unprocessed bulk agricultural or forest products or livestock being transported from the field to the first point of processing or handling.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the court may exercise discretion with respect to the imposition of the fine under this section if any applicable local permit was obtained prior to the court hearing and, at the time of issuance of the notice to appear, the motor carrier was transporting construction equipment or materials and a valid extra-legal load permit from the Department of Transportation was in effect.

(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 456, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.)