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Committee approves amendment tightening CDL language requirement after DMV testifies on federal rules
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Summary
The committee adopted an amendment to a CDL-related bill that removes a rulemaking section; proponents said the change would move the state toward English-only knowledge testing for commercial drivers, while the DMV testified federal rules currently permit non-English test languages.
The Senate Transportation Committee debated and amended a bill that would affect language availability for the commercial driver license (CDL) knowledge test.
The Chair described safety concerns and said the bill aims to ensure “the safest, most qualified drivers behind the wheel of a commercial motor vehicle,” arguing that failure to read road signs contributes to crashes. A committee member said deleting a rulemaking section would effectively grandfather about 120 existing licensees who took the test in languages other than English and asked that future tests be administered in English.
John Marasco, Director of the Department of Motor Vehicles, told the committee the DMV is currently in compliance with federal law and that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration permits offering the general CDL knowledge test in languages other than English, though hazmat testing has different rules. “At this time, if the bill were to pass, it’s more restrictive than what the federal government currently requires,” Marasco said.
Committee members split on the policy’s impacts, with supporters emphasizing safety and opponents warning about workforce consequences and potential conflicts with federal requirements. The committee approved the offered amendment and then voted on the underlying bill; the transcript records voice votes and committee agreement to move the bill forward as amended.
