Committee backs English‑only CDL skills test; amendment requires some drivers to retake knowledge test

The House Transportation Committee voted to recommend passage of House Bill 1252 as amended, a bill that would require New Hampshire’s Department of Motor Vehicles to administer the commercial driver’s license (CDL) practical (skills) test only in English. The committee adopted amendment 1010H, and the final committee recommendation was 'ought to pass as amended' by a 9–7 vote.

Sponsor Representative Ted Gorski said the bill is a public‑safety measure, citing national news reports of serious tractor‑trailer crashes and telling the committee the move would protect New Hampshire road users. “This as I see it is a safety bill for our constituents to know that people that are on the road that get a CDL license in New Hampshire can read the signs and make the road safe,” Gorski said at the hearing.

John Morasco, director of the DMV, and Administrator Ashley Gray explained that federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules already require the practical (skills) portion of the CDL test to be delivered in English; the DMV meets federal technical and procedural standards for the pre‑trip inspection, closed‑course maneuvers and the road test. Morasco and Gray noted the knowledge (computer) test has been offered in multiple languages per federal guidance and vendor arrangements; DMV staff said roughly 32 candidates over the past 12 months requested the knowledge test in another language and 11 of those subsequently passed and are in good standing.

Amendment 1010H added a clarification that federally mandated exceptions remain in force (for example, for deaf applicants where federal regulations permit accommodations) and also directed the DMV to identify individuals who previously took the knowledge test in a language other than English and to mail them notice that they must retake the knowledge test in English within 90 days of the postmark. Supporters said that requirement would align knowledge‑test language with the skills‑test expectation; opponents warned the 90‑day timeline could unfairly jeopardize livelihoods and pose administrative challenges.

Assistant Attorney General Alexandria Morell, New Hampshire’s traffic‑safety prosecutor, emphasized the federal gatekeeping role of the skills test and pointed to FMCSA crash data in arguing that the ability to read and comprehend dynamic English signage can be critical in an emergency. Industry groups and some businesses that employ CDL drivers testified both for and against the bill, with some arguing the state should tighten standards for safety and others urging caution to avoid unintended consequences for drivers already working under valid licenses.

With the amendment adopted, the committee recommended HB 1252 pass as amended; the report records the committee’s 9–7 vote in executive session.