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Committee advances bill to align state restricted CDL duration with federal rule
Summary
House Bill 1093 updates state law to mirror a 2022 federal change extending the allowable duration for restricted commercial driver’s licenses used by agriculture and related businesses; committee recommended the bill for passage unanimously.
The Transportation Committee recommended a do‑pass for House Bill 1093, a statutory cleanup to align North Dakota’s restricted commercial driver’s license (CDL) rules with a 2022 federal change.
Representative Karen Anderson said the bill extends the time that an employer can issue a restricted CDL within a calendar year, changing the statutory maximum from “180 days or two 90‑day periods” to “210 days or two 105‑day periods.” She told the committee the change comes at the request of agricultural employers who rely on restricted CDLs during spring planting and spraying seasons and asked for an emergency clause to allow rapid implementation.
Brad Schaeffer of the Department of Transportation confirmed the federal update in 49 C.F.R. part 383.3 took effect September 29, 2022, and said the DOT had not recognized the change in state statute until Representative Anderson raised the matter. He told the committee the DOT had enforced state statute as written until the discrepancy was pointed out and that the agency supports the proposed statutory update.
Committee members asked whether other federal limits—such as intrastate mileage rules referenced in statute—would be affected. DOT staff said the state may be able to adopt more restrictive mileage limits but cannot exceed federal allowances. Following brief discussion the committee voted unanimously to recommend passage; a freshman legislator volunteered to carry the bill on the floor.
