by Stephen Rivers
- New bill would ban CDLs for undocumented immigrants and require English-only tests.
- It follows a fatal Florida crash involving a truck driver at the center of the debate.
- Federal authorities could revoke states’ power to issue licenses if they break rules.
The big rig trucking industry is a hot-button topic right now, caught in a tangle of politics, safety debates, and immigration disputes. Only a few months ago, a fatal accident in Florida drew national attention to a driver who had entered the US illegally. The driver somehow held a commercial driver’s license (CDL), even though they weren’t legally eligible to obtain one.
More: Texas Suddenly Decides Some Truck Driver Licenses Are Now Worthless If You’re A Non-Citizen
Now, a new bill on the table that could become law would ban testing in any language other than English. It would also add other stipulations and provide more power for the federal government to enforce the rules.
Dubbed the Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act of 2025, the proposal was introduced in the Senate by Representatives Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Bill Hagerty (R-TN), with Kentucky Congressman Andy Barr leading a companion bill in the House.
Who Gets To Test?
The bill has three main components. First, it requires that all CDL testing, including renewals, be only in English. Second, drivers applying for a CDL won’t be eligible unless they already have a normal driver’s license for a year.
Finally, it will give the Secretary of Transportation the ability to revoke a state’s authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs if that state is non-compliant with federal standards.
“By issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants, states like California are undermining federal law and endangering public safety,” Barr said in a statement.
“Our bill restores accountability by strengthening President Trump’s authority to hold liberal states in check when they defy federal law.”
Illegal immigrants shouldn’t be driving any vehicles, let alone the most powerful on the road. @SecDuffy is working to require English tests for CDL applicants and to hold liberal states like California accountable for issuing CDLs to illegals. I am teaming up with @SenTomCotton,…
How Far Will It Go?
The proposal adds to a growing number of Republican-backed bills focused on tightening commercial licensing standards and linking them to immigration enforcement.
A similar bill, pointed out by Trucker News in its coverage, known as Connor’s Law and introduced by Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) earlier this year, seeks to enforce English-language testing for all CDL applicants nationwide.
The trucking industry is facing turmoil regardless of this bill. Executives in the industry often cite severe driver shortages. On the flip side, drivers claim employers simply don’t offer enough compensation to make the job worthwhile. Turnover, while complicated, is high according to just about every source.
Still, if this new bill passes, it may only increase the pressure on an industry already short on drivers.
For everyone’s safety, you must be able to read and understand English road signs when operating a commercial vehicle. This common sense bill requires commercial drivers to pass an English-only test. https://t.co/i5Z8ItMnlE
My team has reached out to the trucker who recorded this chilling video. He did the right thing reporting the trucker driving the wrong way to police.
This easily could have ended in disaster.
Foreign truck drivers not being able to understand the rules of our roads is a… pic.twitter.com/SwiwdRQL1z
