States continue to take steps to provide certain inmates a path toward earning a commercial driver’s license.
CDL programs are available for inmates in more than a dozen states.
Some states have their own programs, while federal prisons run others.
Federal prisons in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas provide programs. Likewise, programs are available in states such as Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Florida bill
Ahead of the 2026 regular session, a Florida state lawmaker has filed a bill to let certain inmates earn CDLs before their release.
Rep. Kim Kendall, R-St. Augustine, is behind a bill aimed at enhancing inmate rehabilitation and preparing inmates for the workforce. Her bill would also offer incentives to employers who hire former inmates.
H325 would authorize the development and implementation of a vocational curriculum to allow certain inmates to earn specific CDLs.
Nonviolent inmates within two years of release would be permitted to receive CDL training. The Florida Transportation Academy and other vocational programs would do the training.
Inmates enrolled in CDL programs would be allowed to operate state-owned vehicles. Training would be restricted to state property.
A reimbursement program would be created. The program would assist employers in recovering part of the workers’ compensation and vehicle insurance premiums for hiring qualified former inmates.
Kendall described the bill as providing inmates nearing release a “meaningful opportunity” to gain valuable skills for their “successful reintegration into society.”
“By allowing select individuals to obtain a CDL before their release, we can equip them with a credential that opens doors to stable, well-paying employment,” Kendall wrote in her explanation for filing the bill. “Studies show that access to vocational training and certifications significantly reduces recidivism, helping individuals break the cycle of incarceration and reoffending.”
She added that a CDL offers a “pathway to long-term employment in a high-demand industry.”
The bill is waiting to be assigned to a committee for the session starting Jan. 13. LL
More Land Line coverage of Florida news is available.
Credit: Source link
