,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dadd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #bf1 #bjag,mrs4 ,napolitano 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,nadler1 ,mr4 ,de,fazio1 ,mr4 ,lowenthal1 ,ms4 ,barragn1 ,mr4 ,huffman1 ,mr4 ,johnson of ,georgia1 ,mr4 ,takano1 and ,ms4 ,norton7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure ,a ,,bill ,to establish a task force on truck leasing1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,port ,drivers' ,bill of ,rights ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the labor of drayage and intermodal truck drivers is vital to the movement of goods and to our ,nation's economic prosperity4 7#b7 ,independent studies have repeatedly documented the low pay and rampant worker misclassification in the port drayage and intermodal industries4 7#c7 ,the ,subcommittee on ,highways and ,transit of the ,house ,transportation and ,infrastructure ,committee held a hearing on ,may #e1 #bjaj1 on the negative economic and environmental impacts of port trucking4 7#d7 ,an investigation published in ,,usa ,today on ,june #af1 #bjag1 titled ,rigged1 detailed disturbing employer abuses and called the work arrangements for many port truck drivers modern-day indentured servitude4 7#e7 ,the ,california ,labor ,commissioner has issued decisions awarding over #djj port drivers in excess of #dj million in back pay due to wage and hour violations4 7#f7 ,federal and ,state courts have consistently upheld the ,california ,labor ,commissioner's authority to adjudicate these claims and have rejected complaints that wage claims brought by truck drivers with the ,labor ,commissioner are preempted by the ,federal ,aviation ,administration ,authorization ,act of #aiid4 7#g7 ,the ,california ,employment ,development ,department and the ,new ,jersey ,department of ,labor have awarded at least #ej port drivers unemployment and disability benefits4 7#h7 ,regions #ba and #e of the ,national ,labor ,relations ,board have issued several complaints against port trucking companies for allegedly committing unfair labor practices after investigations determined port drivers were being misclassified4 7#i7 ,drayage drivers at the ,ports of ,los ,angeles and ,long ,beach have engaged in at least #ae unfair labor practice strikes over the past #c years to protest misclassification1 which have caused picketing at marine terminals that delayed cargo and created congestion4 7#aj7 ,many stakeholders in the movement of goods and licensed motor carriers1 including beneficial cargo owners and third-party logistics providers1 contribute to negative working conditions for port truck drivers4 7#aa7 ,government officials have an opportunity and a responsibility to improve the working conditions of port truck drivers4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that truck drivers1 including drayage drivers1 have the right to-- 7#a7 be treated with honesty and respect2 7#b7 have full-time work guarantee a basic standard of living2 7#c7 be covered by ,federal1 ,state1 and local labor and employment laws2 7#d7 be covered by workplace safety and health laws2 7#e7 be free from exploitative truck lease or rental arrangements2 7#f7 not be misclassified as independent contractors and denied legal protections1 benefits1 and pay2 and 7#g7 bargain collectively for better wages and working conditions4 #d4 ,truck ,leasing ,task ,force 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #f months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,transportation1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,labor1 shall establish the ,truck ,leasing ,task ,force 7hereinafter referred to as the ,task ,force74 7b7 ,membership ,the ,secretary of ,transportation shall select not more than #ae individuals to serve as members of the ,task ,force from the following groups3 7#a7 ,labor organizations4 7#b7 ,the motor carrier industry4 7#c7 ,consumer protection groups4 7#d7 ,safety groups4 7#e7 ,members of the legal profession who specialize in consumer finance issues4 7c7 ,duties ,the ,task ,force shall examine lease-to-own agreements that commercial truck drivers have entered into1 with a focus on-- 7#a7 the operation of agreements that drayage drivers have entered into2 and 7#b7 such agreements at the ,port of ,los ,angeles and the ,port of ,long ,beach4 7d7 ,powers ,the ,task ,force may conduct site visits and field hearings1 as necessary1 to assist its efforts4 7e7 ,report 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,task ,force shall create a report containing the following3 7,a7 ,the impact of truck leasing agreements on the take-home pay of truck drivers4 7,b7 ,whether the truck leasing agreements comply with applicable local1 ,state1 and ,federal law4 7,c7 ,whether the ,task ,force determines that legislation is necessary to protect the ability of truck drivers to earn a living wage and1 if so1 recommendations on such legislation4 7,d7 ,whether the ,task ,force determines that changes in regulations are necessary to protect the ability of truck drivers to earn a living wage and1 if so1 recommendations to the ,secretary of ,transportation and the ,secretary of ,labor on such changes4 7#b7 ,submission ,not later than #a year after the date on which the ,task ,force is established pursuant to subsection 7a71 the report created pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 shall be submitted to-- 7,a7 the ,house ,transportation and ,infrastructure ,committee2 7,b7 the ,house ,education and the ,workforce ,committee2 7,c7 the ,senate ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation2 and 7,d7 the ,senate ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions4 7f7 ,termination ,not later than #a month after the date of submission of the report pursuant to subsection 7e71 the ,task ,force shall terminate4