House Transportation Committee advances bill letting Wyoming officers enforce English-proficiency standard for commercial drivers

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The House Transportation Committee on Feb. 10 advanced House Bill 32, a measure to authorize Wyoming law enforcement to enforce English-language proficiency standards for commercial drivers using the established CVSA/FMCSR testing mechanism, the committee chair said.

The bill, explained by Colonel Tim Cameron, administrator of the Wyoming Highway Patrol, would reinstate state authority to issue citations for lack of English proficiency by referencing federal testing standards. "It allows Wyoming law enforcement to enforce the statute for a lack of English language proficiency using the established CVSA testing mechanism," Cameron said.

Why this matters: Committee members and industry representatives said the change aims to improve highway safety on interstate corridors by ensuring drivers can follow basic road signage and respond to simple safety questions. Lieutenant Kyle McKay of the Highway Patrol told the committee that since the provision was put back into effect in June the agency has recorded 775 violations (about 97 per month) and…