Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety Act of 2021” or the “HAULS Act of 2021”.
Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety Act of 2021
A BILL
To amend the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 to modify certain agricultural exemptions for hours of service requirements, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Transportation of agricultural commodities and farm supplies
Section 229 of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (49 U.S.C. 31136 note; Public Law 106–159) is amended—
in subsection (a)(1)—
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “during planting and harvest periods, as determined by each State,”; and
by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following:
“(A) drivers transporting agricultural commodities within a 150 air-mile radius from—
“(i) the source of the agricultural commodities; or
“(ii) the destination of the agricultural commodities;”
in subsection (e)(8), by striking “during the planting and harvesting seasons within each State, as determined by the State, and livestock feed at any time of the year” and inserting “and livestock feed”.
Sec. 3 Definition of agricultural commodity
In general— Section 229(e) of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (49 U.S.C. 31136 note; Public Law 106–159) is amended by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following:
“(7) Agricultural commodity—The term agricultural commodity has the meaning given the term in section 395.2 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).”
Rulemaking— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall revise the definition of the term agricultural commodity in section 395.2 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to include—
any nonprocessed product planted or harvested for food, feed, fuel, or fiber;
any nonhuman living animal, including—
fish;
insects; and
livestock (as defined in section 602 of the Emergency Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1988 (7 U.S.C. 1471)); and
the nonprocessed products of any nonhuman living animal, including—
milk;
eggs; and
honey;
nonprocessed forestry, aquacultural, horticultural, and floricultural commodities;
fresh or minimally processed fruits and vegetables, including fruits and vegetables that are rinsed, cooled, cut, ripened, or otherwise minimally processed, as determined by the Secretary; and
animal feed, including the ingredients of animal feed.