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2026-07-24T05:00:00Z
NewsTiresCMV Parts and MaintenanceTransportationIn-Depth ArticleCommercial motor vehicle definitionEnglishCommercial motor vehicle definitionBusiness planning - Motor CarrierIndustry NewsFederal Motor Carrier Safety RegulationsFleet SafetyElectronic logging device (ELD)Electronic logging device (ELD)Maintenance and periodic inspectionsFocus AreaVehicle weight definitionsUSA
5 important DOT rule changes just went into effect
Five important rule changes from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) just went into effect. While four of them removed recordkeeping obligations, a fifth serves as a reminder that commercial trucks can be regulated even if they weigh less than 10,001 pounds.
All five changes took effect July 21-22, 2026. The following is a summary of the changes and their impact on fleet operations, along with key precautions.
1. ELD user’s manuals
Drivers are no longer required to carry an electronic logging device (ELD) user’s manual in the vehicle.
The FMCSA says the requirement no longer provides a meaningful safety benefit because ELDs have been in widespread use since 2019 and many devices either contain electronic versions of the manual or provide easy access to it online.
Caution: Drivers must still carry ELD transfer and malfunction instructions, along with at least 5 blank logs. Carrying the user manual remains a good idea, since drivers must be able to transfer ELD data and demonstrate how the device works during an inspection.
2. Roadside inspection reports
For years, motor carriers were required to return completed roadside inspection reports to the issuing state agency after correcting any defects. That federal requirement has now been scaled back.
Under the rule change, motor carriers must return the report only if the issuing state requests it. The FMCSA acknowledged that many states either didn’t want, didn’t review, or simply discarded the returned reports, making the blanket federal requirement unnecessary.
Caution: Important compliance duties remain unchanged. Motor carriers must still correct cited defects, certify that repairs were made, and retain the report for 12 months.
3. CDL driver violation reports
Commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders no longer have to self-report traffic convictions to their home state. The FMCSA eliminated the requirement because states exchange conviction information electronically.
Caution: Drivers must still report traffic convictions to their employer within 30 days, and some states may continue to impose their own reporting requirements.
4. Tire size
Another little-known change removes the requirement for maintenance records to identify tire size.
The tire-size entry had been part of the vehicle maintenance file requirements for decades, with many motor carriers and auditors unsure of its purpose. The FMCSA determined the recordkeeping requirement had become obsolete and removed it from 49 CFR 396.3.
Caution: Motor carriers must still maintain maintenance records and vehicle identification information, including the company number (if marked on the vehicle), make, serial number, and year.
5. GVWR clarification
The fifth change is technically a clarification, but it may have the greatest practical impact.
The FMCSA revised the definition of “gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)” in 49 CFR 390.5 to make perfectly clear that a vehicle’s GVWR is the manufacturer’s maximum loaded weight rating and does not change based on the vehicle’s actual weight.
More importantly, the agency explained that a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more, operating in interstate commerce, remains a commercial motor vehicle even when its scale weight is below 10,001 pounds.
This clarification targets a common misunderstanding among operators of cargo vans, pickup trucks, box trucks, and other smaller vehicles. Some carriers assume they are outside the FMCSA’s jurisdiction because the vehicle’s actual weight is under 10,001 pounds. The agency has now made it clear that enforcement officials rely on the weight or the rating – whichever is higher at the time of inspection.
Caution: The clarification doesn’t create a new requirement, but it may expose compliance gaps that some smaller operations never realized they had. Make sure you know the GVWR across your fleet and ensure compliance for all regulated vehicles, even when they’re empty.
Key to remember: Four DOT regulation changes, now in effect, reduce paperwork and reporting burdens. A fifth change does the opposite: It reinforces that a vehicle’s GVWR, not its actual weight on a given day, determines whether the vehicle falls under FMCSA safety regulations.
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2026-07-24T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsEmployee BenefitsEmployee BenefitsAssociate Benefits & CompensationHR GeneralistHealth Savings Accounts (HSAs)Focus AreaIn-Depth ArticleHR ManagementEnglishHealth PlansHuman ResourcesUSA
Should employees be encouraged to pay for GLP-1s using health plan savings accounts?
Most employers don’t cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, recent data shows, and are also wary of urging workers to use tax-advantaged health care funds to pay for them.
Sixty percent of corporate employers cover GLP-1 drugs for diabetes only, and 36 percent of corporate employers cover GLP-1 drugs for both diabetes and weight loss, according to the 2026 GLP-1 Drugs Pulse Survey for the U.S. , published by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
That means most employers aren’t covering the drugs for weight loss. Of those, 21 percent said they encourage employees to use their Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) dollars to pay for the drugs themselves.
Is this a wise approach?
According to the IRS, the cost of a GLP-1 medication is generally considered a qualified medical expense that can be paid for or reimbursed through an HSA or FSA if it’s:
- Prescribed by a licensed health care provider, and
- Used to treat a diagnosed medical condition such as obesity, diabetes, or another disease-related condition.
Pros and cons of using tax-advantaged funds for GLP-1s
From an HR and benefits strategy perspective, there are both advantages and risks when an employer actively encourages employees to use HSA or FSA funds for GLP-1 medications that aren't covered by the employer's health plan.
Potential Pros
- Provides a lower-cost alternative than adding insurance coverage. Many employers exclude GLP-1 drugs due to cost concerns. Encouraging HSA/FSA use allows employees to pay with pre-tax dollars without increasing the employer's medical plan costs.
- Demonstrates support for employee well-being. Employees who are denied coverage for GLP-1 medications may still have access to a tax-advantaged way to pay for treatment. Highlighting the HSA/FSA option can signal that the employer recognizes obesity as a health issue and wants employees to understand available benefits.
- May improve employee satisfaction. Employees often become frustrated when they learn a medication isn’t covered. Educating them about HSA/FSA reimbursement may soften that frustration because the employer is offering a practical alternative rather than simply saying "the plan doesn't cover it."
- Supports benefit education. Many employees under-utilize their HSA or FSA accounts. This can be an opportunity to educate employees about qualified medical expenses generally, not just GLP-1 drugs.
Potential Cons
- Employees may perceive using HSA or FSA dollars as a "non-solution." Even with tax savings, GLP-1 medications can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars per month. Employees may view the employer's message as: "We won't cover the drug, but you can pay for it yourself." This can create employee relations challenges if not communicated carefully.
- Equity concerns. Lower-paid employees may find the option unrealistic. Employees most likely to benefit from this solution are those who: Have sufficient HSA or FSA balances, and Can afford substantial out-of-pocket costs.
- Reduced long-term HSA growth. Employees who use HSA funds to pay for expensive GLP-1 medications may have less money available for future health care expenses and may miss out on the long-term tax-advantaged growth that makes HSAs an attractive retirement planning tool.
- Potential confusion about eligibility. Employers should avoid implying that all weight-loss medications automatically qualify. Eligibility depends on IRS rules and the existence of a prescription. Some FSA administrators may require additional documentation, such as a Letter of Medical Necessity.
- Risk of appearing to give tax or medical advice. Employers should educate rather than direct. For example, instead of telling employees they should use their HSA to pay for Wegovy, phrase the recommendation more cautiously, such as: "Employees may wish to check with their HSA/FSA administrator to determine whether a prescribed GLP-1 medication is an eligible expense." This approach avoids creating expectations or providing individualized tax advice.
- Increased pressure to cover GLP-1 drugs. Once employees become aware of the demand for these medications, questions often shift from: "Can I use my HSA?" to "Why doesn't our health plan cover this treatment?" Employers should be prepared to explain coverage decisions consistently.
Key to remember. The biggest risk of encouraging employees to use HSA or FSA funds to pay for weight-loss drugs may be employee relations optics rather than legal compliance. The strategy is generally compliant if communicated accurately, but employees may see it as shifting the financial burden to them rather than expanding coverage.
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2026-07-24T05:00:00Z
NewsHazardous WasteWaste HandlersChange NoticesChange NoticeWasteWaste/HazWasteWaste ManagementEnvironmentalNevadaEnglishFocus Area
Nevada revises hazardous waste recycling rules
Effective date: July 1, 2026
This applies to: Facilities and mobile units that manage recyclable materials classified as hazardous waste or hazardous secondary materials
Description of change: The Nevada State Environmental Commission adopted amendments to the hazardous waste recycling program regulations. Changes include:
- Establishing one regulatory regime for facilities managing recyclable materials classified as either hazardous waste or hazardous secondary materials;
- Exempting certain facilities or mobile units from the requirement to obtain a written determination from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources before construction and providing that such facilities must comply with certain federal requirements, local zoning requirements if applicable, reporting and notification requirements, and other regulations;
- Exempting certain facilities (if they’re subject to local zoning requirements) from prohibitions on the locations where new or expanding stationary facilities that manage hazardous waste may be built; and
- Establishing an annual $5,000 fee for:
- A written determination issued to new facilities or mobile units that the facilities or units will operate for recycling hazardous waste; and
- Existing facilities that recycle certain hazardous waste and are subject to specific federal recycling requirements.
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2026-07-24T05:00:00Z
NewsHazardous WasteWaste GeneratorsWaste ManifestsWasteEnglishWaste/HazWasteNew MexicoNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED)Waste HandlersChange NoticesChange NoticeWasteWaste ManagementEnvironmentalWaste PermittingFocus AreaWaste Reporting
New Mexico classifies AFFF as hazardous waste
Effective date: August 1, 2026
This applies to: Entities regulated by the New Mexico hazardous waste regulations
Description of change: The New Mexico Hazardous Waste Bureau adopted amendments and a new rule to regulate aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Changes include:
- Classifying AFFF with intentionally added PFAS as a hazardous waste (subject to New Mexico’s hazardous waste regulations); and
- Establishing regulations for AFFF with intentionally added PFAS, including:
- A periodic inventory of the substance,
- Restricting the use of AFFF to emergency purposes only, and
- Requiring cleanup of discarded AFFF according to the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act regulations.
Note that the operational restrictions (20.13.3 NMAC) take effect on August 1, 2026, and the disposal and cleanup rules (20.4.1) take effect on December 1, 2026.
Related state info: Hazardous waste generators — New Mexico
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2026-07-24T05:00:00Z
NewsGreenhouse GasesAir EmissionsChange NoticesChange NoticeColoradoCAA ComplianceEnvironmentalFocus AreaEnglishAir ProgramsAir Programs
Colorado revises annual emissions reporting requirements
Effective date: July 15, 2026
This applies to: Sources subject to Regulations 3 and 7 annual reporting requirements
Description of change: The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission amended Regulation Numbers 3 and 7. The revisions:
- Remove the duplicate greenhouse gas (GHG) air pollutant emission notice (APEN) reporting requirement for sources required by Regulation Number 22 to report GHG emissions annually;
- Streamline reporting requirements for annual estimated emissions reports required by Regulation Numbers 3 and 7 (for certain non-oil and gas sector sources and for upstream and midstream oil and gas sector sources, respectively) by specifying that their Emissions Reporting Notices (ERNs) will satisfy the requirements to submit revised APENs due to a change in actual emissions or solely before expiration;
- Increase existing fees for APEN submissions, annual emissions, and application processing required by Regulation Number 3; and
- Add a fee for filing ERNs required by Regulation 7 on a per-emission-point basis (with plans to require fees from all annual reporters eventually).
Streamlined reporting begins in 2027 for Regulation Number 7 annual emissions reports for calendar year 2026 emissions. The ERN filing fee for Regulation Number 7 reporters starts with the ERN filed in 2027 for calendar year 2026 emissions.
Related state info: Clean air operating permits state comparison
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2026-07-24T05:00:00Z
NewsPesticidesPesticidesChange NoticesChange NoticeEnvironmentalPesticide ManagementEnglishMichiganFocus AreaPesticides
Michigan updates fertilizer bulk storage requirements
Effective date: July 2, 2026
This applies to: Commercial bulk fertilizer storage facilities
Description of change: The amendments increase requirements related to physical and structural redundancy, maintenance, and recordkeeping. The rules align with the standards of the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) and the regulations established by similarly situated states. Some of the changes include:
- Requiring every storage container to have a liquid level gauging device;
- Requiring storage containers and appurtenances to be fenced, locked, or otherwise secured to protect against vandalism or unauthorized access that could result in a discharge; and
- Allowing alternative diking for large storage tanks that use double steel wall systems.
Further, the rules require the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to preapprove the construction of new or the modification of existing containment systems and operational areas.
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Copyright 2026 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.