HB 114: Motor vehicles; federal regulations regarding safe operation of commercial motor vehicle and carriers; update reference date

Georgia law incorporates federal safety rules for trucking companies, commercial drivers, and hazardous materials transport by referencing a specific date's version of the federal regulations (found in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations). Previously, Georgia's law (O.C.G.A. § 40-1-8) pointed to the federal rules as they existed on January 1, 2024. This bill changes that reference date to January 1, 2025, so Georgia's adoption of federal commercial motor vehicle safety standards stays current with the most recent version of those federal rules. The bill does not change who is regulated, what the safety requirements are, or how they are enforced; it simply updates which snapshot of the federal rules Georgia law points to. It also repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision.

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

Commercial motor carriers, truck and bus companies operating in Georgia, commercial drivers, and companies transporting hazardous materials, all of whom must comply with the federal safety standards Georgia adopts by reference. The Department of Public Safety also enforces these standards.

By updating the reference date, Georgia ensures commercial vehicle operators in the state are held to the most current federal safety standards rather than a year-old version, keeping state enforcement aligned with any recent federal rule changes for trucking and hazmat transport safety.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 40-1-8 to change the definition of 'present regulations' from the federal rules in effect on January 1, 2024 to those in effect on January 1, 2025.
• Section 1 leaves the definitions of 'Commissioner' and 'Department' unchanged.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision with no substantive effect of its own.

1. 2025-07-01Effective Date
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 III (R, HD-26)Primary sponsor
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)
• Eddie Lumsden (R, HD-12)
• Carter Barrett (R, HD-24)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 11, 2025

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

   PASSAGE: House Vote #22

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2025

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

   PASSAGE: Senate Vote #341

• commercial motor vehicles
• trucking regulations
• motor carrier safety
• hazardous materials transport