With Teamsters support, Kentucky Gov. Beshear vetoes driverless vehicle bill

With the support and thanks of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear vetoed House Bill 7 (HB7), dangerous legislation that would have allowed driverless trucks and cars on Kentucky roads.

“This bill and others like it are written by and for Big Tech, and Gov. Beshear made the right call by vetoing it,” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. “We encourage every lawmaker who supported this dangerous piece of legislation to reconsider their support for it, given the devastating impact it will have on middle-class jobs and motorist safety throughout the Commonwealth. The Teamsters are asking elected officials in every state to support good union jobs, to protect public safety, and to stand against these deadly autonomous vehicle proposals wherever they pop up.”

Polling shows more than four out of five Kentucky voters would be less likely to support their legislators if they voted to allow driverless trucks and cars on Kentucky roads, and they were concerned that driverless vehicles are a threat to replacing workers’ jobs. This polling is reflective of public opinion nationally — a new study from the American Automobile Association shows that more than 91 percent of U.S. drivers have expressed either fear or uncertainty about fully self-driving vehicles.

“Elected officials need to listen to their constituents — not lobbyists — and let bills like HB7 die,” said Avral Thompson, Teamsters Central Region International Vice President and President of Teamsters Local 89. “Voters recognize this bill for what it is — a threat to middle-class jobs and public safety.”

“There are tens of thousands of good-paying careers that could be jeopardized by HB7,” said John Stovall, President of Teamsters Joint Council 94. “The Teamsters strongly encourage working people across Kentucky to contact their lawmakers and tell them to let Gov. Beshear’s veto stand.”