Tennessee lawmakers have introduced new legislation to implement a permanent CDL ban for convicted sex trafficking offenders.
The bills “SB 0115/HB 0116” was introduced by Sen. Ferrell Haile and Rep. Johnny Garrett. The legislation was initially introduced in January 2021 and has been making steady progress through the Tennessee General Assembly.
The legislation “disqualifies for life persons convicted of trafficking for a commercial sex act from obtaining a commercial driver license; requires lifetime suspension of commercial driver license for persons convicted of trafficking for a commercial sex act.”
Other states also have lifetime CDL bans for sex trafficking convictions in place, including Georgia and Delaware.
In 2019, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a Final Rule to “prohibit an individual from operating a CMV for life if that individual uses a CMV in committing a felony involving a severe form of human trafficking.”
The Tennessee bills have been placed on the House and Senate Regular Calendar for consideration on March 22.