Committee approves amendment adding work-visa and English-proficiency requirements for some commercial drivers

Representative Hawk presented an amendment to House Bill 1745 that, sponsors said, narrows the measure to require a valid work visa (rather than a broader "work authorization form") and adds an English-proficiency requirement for certain commercial drivers. "We turned it down to a work visa. We added that into the bill. Also in the bill, we added, to the drivers that need to have English proficiency," Hawk said, adding that the attorney general had indicated the changes were permissible.

Shannon Everett, chairman of American Truckers United, testified in opposition to the amendment. Everett said the work-visa requirement would not prevent counterfeit or fraudulent foreign commercial driver's licenses and could allow drivers holding B-1 business visitor visas to operate on state roads without the stronger verification that Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) provide. "By simply adding a valid work visa, it opens the door to unvetted B-1 tourists and business visitor visas," Everett said, and he described the English-proficiency and visa provisions as "toothless" without enforcement mechanisms. Everett urged the committee to reject the amendment.

Representative Hawk and other sponsors said the change is intended to reduce use of fraudulent CDLs from Mexico and that Texas has enacted similar measures in recent sessions. Hawk moved to pass the amendment; the committee approved the amendment by voice vote. The transcript records debate and public comment but no roll-call vote tally. The committee did not provide final bill text in the transcript and did not identify enforcement details for the English-proficiency requirement.