Last week Tennessee governor Bill Haslam signed a bill into law that would prevent any state funds to be used for the enforcement of Electronic Logging Device regulations for certain agricultural haulers.
The new legislation, which was signed into law on April 18, “prohibits the expenditure of state funds to enforce electronic logging regulations against any motor vehicle transporting nonhazardous materials for farm purposes that does not travel outside the boundaries of the state.”
Agricultural haulers are currently already exempt from ELD enforcement nationwide by an FMCSA issued waiver that lasts through June 18. The new Tennessee legislation applies only to drivers who are currently covered by the nationwide agricultural waiver.
The original version of the bill introduced on January 29 by State Senator Frank Niceley and Rep. Dale Carr called for the prohibition on using state funding for any ELD enforcement in the state of Tennessee. However, on March 28, the bill was amended to exempt only intrastate agricultural haulers from ELD enforcement through defunding.
Agricultural haulers all over the country have asked the FMCSA for a more permanent fix for Hours of Service and ELD regulations.
You can click here to read a summary of the bill.
