District 71 Capitol Hill Update with Representative David Byrd

Removing roadblocks to obtain a Commercial Driver License / Public Chapter 992 - To help alleviate the shortage of truck drivers in Tennessee, this law expands eligibility for Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDLs) and creates a program within the Department of Safety to enable qualifying incarcerated individuals who will return to society to receive a CDL prior to or after their release. It lowers the minimum age from 21 years old to 18 years old for people who can qualify for a CDL to drive in Tennessee. In addition, the law increases the resources and staff for the Department of Safety to allow for a quicker turnaround time for scheduling a commercial driving skills tests and will expand options for third party partners to conduct more commercial driving skills tests on the department’s behalf. Because many local school districts are having a hard time obtaining school bus drivers, the law also provides more flexibility for school bus endorsement testing and ensures safer school bus drivers as well. Consumers everywhere have felt the effects of the backlog in moving freight across the country. The American trucking association currently estimates that the United States is 80,000 truck drivers short, causing supply chain issues across Tennessee and the nation. Became effective July 1, 2022.

Reinstating work requirements for SNAP benefits / Public Chapter 972 – A new law reinstates work requirements in order for individuals to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as food stamps. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the work requirements for SNAP benefits – which require able-bodied individuals between the ages of 18 and 49 to work, train or volunteer for at least 20 hours per week – were suspended. The new law also makes clear that any waivers to the work requirement issued by the Department of Human Services must have just cause. Became effective May 2022.

Positioning Tennessee as a leader in blockchain technologies / Public Chapter 852 – Allows for the creation and recognition of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) in the state of Tennessee. A DAO is an organization represented by rules encoded as a computer program that is transparent, controlled by the organization members and not influenced by a central government. The law allows DAOs to engage in business in the state, while also positioning Tennessee as a hub for DAOs. Though DAOs are still in early phases of development, there are over $9.5 billion in DAO treasuries and over 5,000 DAOs across the world, with 1.3 million members. But most of these DAOs are not being formed in the United States. This bill seeks to provide clarity in the regulation in order to bring more of these DAOs to Tennessee. Became Effective April 2022.

As always, I am truly humbled and honored to be your voice on Capitol Hill. If there is ever any issue I can assist with, please reach out to my office by calling 615-741-2190 or emailing me at [email protected]