A bill to specify that States may waive requirements relating to commerical driver’s licenses under chapter 313 of title 49, United States Code, with respect to certain farm vehicles, and for other purposes.
Key claim: This bill would let states waive commercial driver’s license requirements for operators of custom harvesting machinery and employees of farm-related service industries.
Abstract
(S1090 · 105th Congress) Authorizes each State that issues licenses to commercial motor vehicle operators to waive any requirement to obtain such a license for operators of custom harvesting farm machinery or employees of farm-related service industries (or both) that would otherwise apply. Latest action (1997-07-30): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Why this matters
CDL requirements add cost and training burdens for seasonal custom harvesters and farm-service workers who move equipment across state lines during narrow harvest windows. This 1997 bill would have devolved waiver authority to states, potentially easing labor shortages for harvesters but raising road-safety trade-offs; it stalled in committee, leaving the federal baseline in place.