Tennessee bill would halt state funds being used for ELD enforcement

A Tennessee bill has become the latest in a growing line of potential statehouse legislation that looks to blunt the impact of the federal rule mandating electronic logging devices in commercial vehicles.

Sponsored by Rep. Dale Carr, R-Sevierville, HB1962 “prohibits the expenditure of state funds to implement or enforce electronic logging device regulations” in the Volunteer State. A companion bill, SB 1936 was also introduced in the Tennessee Senate by Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains.

Both bills were introduced Jan. 29 and are making their way through their respective transportation committees. SB 1936 is scheduled for discussion in the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee on Wednesday.

If approved and signed into law, the bills would decrease state expenditures by more than $608,000. A fiscal summary of the proposal notes that failure to comply with the federal regulation on electronic logs would reduce federal funding by $4.05 million in fiscal year 2018-19.

The effort is part of a broader campaign some state lawmakers around the nation are undertaking to oppose the mandate. Last week, South Dakota’s state legislature introduced a resolution calling on Congress to repeal the ELD mandate. A similar bill was introduced in Missouri’s House of Representatives earlier this month.