HB114: HB114 Motor vehicles; federal regulations regarding safe operation of commercial motor vehicle and carriers; update reference date

Georgia law incorporates federal safety rules for motor carriers, commercial motor vehicles, and hazardous materials transport by referencing a specific date's version of the federal regulations (49 C.F.R.). Under current law, that reference date is January 1, 2024. This bill changes the definition of 'present regulations' in O.C.G.A. § 40-1-8 so the reference date becomes January 1, 2025. The practical effect is that Georgia's Department of Public Safety and commercial vehicle operators would follow the most recent year's version of the federal safety standards rather than the prior year's version. The bill makes no other substantive changes to the safety requirements themselves, and it repeals any conflicting laws.

• Changes the definition of 'present regulations' in Georgia's motor carrier safety law (O.C.G.A. § 40-1-8) from the federal rules in effect January 1, 2024 to those in effect January 1, 2025.
• Keeps the existing definitions of 'Commissioner' (commissioner of public safety) and 'Department' (Department of Public Safety) unchanged.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with this updated reference date.

Commercial motor carriers, truck and bus drivers, companies that transport hazardous materials, and the Georgia Department of Public Safety, which enforces state compliance with the referenced federal safety standards.

Because Georgia law ties compliance to a specific year's federal regulations, this update means trucking companies and drivers operating in Georgia would be held to the newest set of federal safety standards rather than an outdated one, keeping state law aligned with current federal rules.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 40-1-8 to change the 'present regulations' reference date from January 1, 2024 to January 1, 2025.
• Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the Act.

1. 2025-05-08Effective Date 2025-07-01
2. 2025-05-08Act 66
3. 2025-05-08House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2025-03-21Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2025-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)

• Lauren McDonald (R, HD-026)Primary sponsor
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)
• Eddie Lumsden (R, HD-012)
• Carter Barrett (R, HD-024)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 11, 2025

   165 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #22

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #341

• commercial trucking
• motor carrier safety
• hazardous materials transport
• Department of Public Safety