Commercial driver license waiver for certain operation of commercial motor vehicles by farmers. (FE)

A person may not, in general, operate a CMV without a valid CDL. Current law, however, provides several exceptions from the CDL requirement allowing, for example, fire fighters, law enforcement officers, and rescue squad members who hold valid operators' licenses other than CDLs to operate CMVs under specified circumstances. Another current exception allows farmers to use a CMV without holding a CDL if all of the following apply: 1) the use is within 150 miles of the operator's farm; 2) the CMV is used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies, including hazardous materials requiring placarding, to or from a farm; and 3) the CMV is operated and controlled by a farmer.

This bill eliminates requirement 1) from the CDL exception for farmers and family members or employees of a farmer, except when transporting hazardous materials. Thus, under this bill, a farmer or family member or employee of a farmer may use a CMV without holding a CDL if the CMV is used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm and the CMV is controlled by a farmer. Current law pertaining to transporting hazardous materials requiring placarding would remain unchanged.