Committee hears bill to require English proficiency for CDL holders; DOT says rule aligns with new federal guidance
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Summary
Representative Carolyn Keaton introduced House Bill 27-41 to require CDL applicants and holders in Missouri to read and speak English sufficiently to perform duties and communicate with responders; the Missouri Department of Revenue witness said the state already follows new FMCSA requirements for nondomicile CDLs and centralized checks.
JEFFERSON CITY — The House Committee on Transportation heard testimony on House Bill 27-41, a measure from Representative Carolyn Keaton that would require anyone who holds or applies for a commercial driver’s license to demonstrate sufficient English proficiency to converse with the public, read highway signs and complete required reports.
"The purpose of HB 27-41 is to ensure anyone who currently holds or applies for a commercial driver's license can read and speak English proficiently...sufficiently enough to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records," Keaton said at the hearing.
Witnesses supporting the bill framed it as a public-safety measure and noted the federal Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has tightened English-proficiency expectations for CDLs. Louie Pugh of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said roadside enforcement already uses screening questions and signage checks and that a lack of understanding can hamper emergency response. "This isn't about speaking in King's English ... This is reading roadsides, understand roadsides," Pugh said.
Zach Wyatt, legislative director for the Missouri Department of Revenue, told the committee that Missouri largely follows FMCSA rules for CDL issuance and that recent federal guidance limits nondomicile CDLs to applicants with valid work visas. Wyatt said Missouri has centralized nondomicile issuance in Jefferson City to ensure consistent verification of visas and other documentation.
Several members raised concerns about subjectivity — how motorists and enforcement officers would determine whether a driver is sufficiently proficient — and the role of technology. Representative Burton asked for concrete standards and scenarios where lack of English could create a safety risk. The sponsor acknowledged subjective elements but said the bill focuses on critical safety situations such as hazardous-material documentation and that roadside out-of-service rules already exist.
The hearing closed with the committee receiving the Department of Revenue’s information and additional witnesses expressing conditional support. No committee vote was taken at the conclusion of the hearing.
Next steps: The sponsor and committee staff indicated they would monitor federal implementation of FMCSA rules and consider language that reduces subjectivity and clarifies enforcement procedures.