State Watch – November 2025

As the new year approaches, Land Line is focused on providing truckers with information on important legislation during the coming year. In the next few months, state lawmakers from all corners of the country will rapidly add to the list by offering new bills.

Here’s our roundup of noteworthy issues addressed by governors recently and the latest activity on other legislative efforts.

For a complete rundown of state legislation, visit LandLine.media.

California

A bill on the California governor’s desk would mandate the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles to provide information collected from trucking companies and truck drivers to the state.

SB703 would make trucking companies responsible for providing information on employee truck drivers.

Truck drivers who are not employees would also be required to provide information to a port on an annual basis.

Trucking companies would be required to update the port within 30 days of a change to their operation that results in more than 50% of their employees being replaced by independent truck drivers.

Michigan

One bill halfway through the Michigan statehouse would revise the state’s truck left lane enforcement.

State law prohibits all drivers from continuous travel in the far-left lane. Left lane use is permitted for instances that include overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction.

Commercial vehicles with a gross weight exceeding 10,000 pounds are singled out in statute. Affected trucks are required to stay in either of the two lanes farthest to the right.

Rep. Will Bruck, R-Erie, told lawmakers the truck rule needs to be revised because existing law does not allow police to issue citations.

HB4522 would authorize enforcement of the truck lane rule. Additionally, the change would outright ban large trucks from traveling in the far-left lane on freeways with three or more lanes in one direction.

Montana

A new Montana law expands on a 2-year-old rule that covers third-party litigation financiers.

In 2023, Gov. Greg Gianforte enacted a rule to require disclosure of financing agreements in all civil cases. Litigation funders are also joint-liable for costs.

Additionally, the state has a 25% cap on the amount a financier may receive or recover from a lawsuit.

SB511 prohibits lawsuit financiers from having influence on decisions about counsel, expert witnesses, litigation strategy and settlement or other resolutions.

North Carolina

In North Carolina, a new law prohibits immobilization of a commercial vehicle for parking enforcement purposes. The ban applies to any device such as a boot.

S311 also covers return of cargo. A tow company involved in a nonconsensual or government-initiated tow will be required to “promptly return any commercial cargo” to the truck driver or owner of the cargo, upon request.

A trailer swap will be permitted under the condition that a different trailer is “of similar type that is in working condition and was manufactured within five years of the manufacturing date of the original trailer, or newer, as arranged by the commercial cargo owner.”

The new rules take effect Dec. 1.

Ohio

Already in effect in Ohio is a new law to outlaw ticket quotas.

SB114 establishes that no requirement or suggestion could be made for an officer to meet a quota, nor could a benefit be offered to an officer based on the officer’s quota.

Law enforcement agencies are prohibited from using quotas to evaluate, promote, compensate, transfer or discipline a local or state police officer. Agencies are also forbidden from offering a financial reward or other benefits to officers for meeting quotas.

Law enforcement officials or agencies, however, will be permitted to collect and analyze data on the number of arrests made and citations issued by officers. LL

Read news by state here.