Sponsors (7)
The bill moves high‑value interstate commercial motor vehicle crash cases toward federal courts and clarifies jurisdictional rules—trading greater procedural uniformity and predictability for higher litigation exposure and potential disparities for lower‑value claimants.
Injured plaintiffs in interstate commercial motor vehicle crashes (with high‑value claims) can file diversity cases in federal court, gaining access to potentially more consistent federal procedures, juries, and case law.
Small businesses, local governments, and other parties get clearer rules on citizenship (including for unincorporated associations) and timing for jurisdictional claims, reducing procedural uncertainty in removal/remand disputes.
Trucking companies and insurers will face increased litigation exposure and higher legal costs from expanded federal‑court access for large CMV suits, which may translate into higher shipping and insurance costs for businesses and consumers.
Plaintiffs and defendants in high‑value crash cases may face more forum shopping and strategic federal removals, increasing legal complexity, delay, and uncertainty in resolving claims.
Transportation workers and other injured plaintiffs with claims under $5 million remain in state court, creating potential disparities in procedures, jury pools, and recovery outcomes based solely on claim value.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds federal diversity jurisdiction for interstate commercial motor vehicle highway-accident lawsuits exceeding $5,000,000 and sets rules for measuring party citizenship.
Official title: To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide for Federal district court jurisdiction for highway accident actions against interstate motor carriers.
Introduced September 10, 2025 by Ashley Hinson · Last progress September 10, 2025
Creates a new federal diversity jurisdiction for large interstate commercial motor vehicle highway accidents by amending federal diversity jurisdiction law so that district courts may hear cases when the crash involves a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce and the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000,000, provided traditional diversity of citizenship exists. It also sets rules for how plaintiffs’ citizenship is determined at filing (or when amended to invoke federal jurisdiction) and defines the citizenship of unincorporated associations for these cases. The change is limited to civil actions arising from highway accidents involving commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce and does not alter other jurisdictional bases or create new substantive causes of action or funding provisions.