State lawmakers are pushing to keep unsafe truck drivers off the road.
A major focus is on a federal rule requiring truck drivers to read road signs and speak English well enough to follow directions. But for nearly 10 years, drivers who did not meet this rule were not pulled off the road.
Last year, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association called for the penalty to come back. Soon after, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reinstate the rule.
A spending bill signed into law by Trump earlier this month included his order on English proficiency.
So far this year, several states are racing to lock federal rules into state law.
South Dakota
In South Dakota, a bill moving through the statehouse would tighten the rules for getting a CDL.
SB164 says truck drivers must live in the state and pass written and road tests that meet federal rules.
It also adds a new rule: CDL applicants must prove they can speak and understand English, as required by federal law.
The Department of Motor Vehicles would create tests to check those skills. All CDL tests would be given in English.
The bill also lays out penalties for breaking the English rule.
If a CDL holder or permit driver receives a ticket or is involved in a crash, officers must check their English language skills.
If a driver doesn’t show enough skill, they could receive a citation and be put out of service. Repeat violations would bring tougher penalties.
A first offense would be a Class 2 misdemeanor. A second would jump to a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The House Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, Feb. 24, to discuss the bill.
Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, said the measure backs up a basic safety rule. She pointed out a crash on the Florida Turnpike last year.
A truck driver tried to make an illegal U-turn and slammed into a minivan, killing three people. After the crash, FMCSA officials tested the driver and found he failed an English-language proficiency check.
“We’ve seen real-world consequences when critical communication breaks down,” she said. “We want to prevent these horrific incidents from happening here.”
Howard also said federal safety data shows “drivers cited for English language proficiency violations have a significantly higher involvement in DOT-recordable crashes – nearly double the national average.”
The committee voted unanimously to move the bill forward. It now heads to the House floor. The Senate approved a near-identical version.
Alabama
The Alabama Senate just cracked down on undocumented truck drivers.
Research from the OOIDA Foundation shows Alabama has logged 429 English-language violations since June 2025.
SB242 would hardwire federal rules into state law. That includes locking in federal English proficiency rules.
Break the rules? Drivers could face a $2,000 fine. Carriers would face $1,000 fines. Get caught again, and the fines double.
Sen. Lance Bell, R-Pell City, said the bill targets a small group of “bad actors.”
He said the state doesn’t need second-string truck drivers. He said there are plenty of qualified pros able to haul loads.
Senators voted to move the bill to the House for the next round.
Utah
Utah House lawmakers passed a bill that would make sure future truck drivers can read and speak English before they hit the road.
Rep. Candice Pierucci, R-Riverton, says the bill is part of a nationwide push to clean up weak training practices.
HB118 would require CDL applicants and truck driving schools to sign forms stating that the driver can speak English.
Truck drivers must be able to talk with the public, read road signs, answer officials’ questions and fill out reports. Training schools would also have to report pass rates and track where students trained.
Pierucci called it a simple fix.
She said it protects students from paying big money for school, only to fail the test because they can’t explain their answers in English. They might know the material, she said, but can’t say it clearly.
Rick Clasby of the Utah Trucking Association said during a committee hearing that his group strongly backs the bill. He called it a tough issue nationwide.
Clasby said the bill does two things: boosts safety and protects students from having to pay for school again if they can’t pass the test.
HB118 now heads to the Senate.
Iowa
An Iowa Senate bill would set up a clear state test to see if truck drivers can speak and read English.
SF2426 says the state DOT cannot issue or renew a CDL or learner’s permit if a driver fails to prove English skills.
The bill makes it clear. Drivers must be able to talk with the public, read traffic signs, answer officers’ questions and fill out reports – all in English.
The test would be done on a computer.
Truck drivers who fail to meet the standard would be placed out of service. They could also face a $1,000 fine.
Trucking companies would be banned from hiring drivers who don’t meet the English rule. Companies that break it could get hit with fines up to $10,000.
The bill also lays out what happens to a truck or its cargo if a driver is stopped and can’t continue.
One more catch: If any part of the law would break federal rules or risk federal funding, the Iowa DOT could not enforce it.
Sen. Ken Rozenboom, R-Oskaloosa, said this bill intends to be fully compliant with English standards.
“We all should be concerned about the safety of the public. That behooves us in Iowa, as legislators, to make sure that Iowa law is consistent with federal law,” Rozenboom said. “That’s exactly what we are trying to do. We are trying to save lives.”
SF2426 passed the Senate Transportation Committee. It awaits further consideration.
Wyoming
In Wyoming, a bill nearing passage in the statehouse would enforce English-only rules for truck drivers.
HB32 would punish drivers who keep driving after being told to stop. Drivers could be fined up to $2,000 or face up to 90 days in jail.
County sheriffs and local police would enforce the fines. Jail time would apply to truck drivers who break the rule.
The Senate Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee considered the bill on Tuesday.
“The bill intends to make sure that people who can’t read road signs don’t pose a threat to our motoring public,” said Sen. Stephan Pappas, R-Cheyenne. “We’ve seen too many bad things happen when that’s the case.”
Wyoming Trucking Association President Kevin Hawley said his group supports the bill.
The committee approved the bill unanimously. The vote allows HB32 to advance to the House floor. If approved there, it would go to the governor. Senate lawmakers already approved it.
Tennessee
A Tennessee bill would bring the state in line with federal English rules.
Rep. Lowell Russell, R-Vonore, is leading the charge. HB1817 says that if an officer finds during a safety check that a truck driver can’t read or speak English, that driver must be placed out of service.
The driver’s license would remain suspended until they can prove they can speak with the public, read road signs, answer officers’ questions and fill out reports in English.
The Department of Public Safety would create the test that drivers must pass to return to the road.
If the driver is sidelined, another driver who can read and speak English could step in and take over the truck.
Companies that employ drivers put out of service could face fines up to $500.
The bill now sits in the House Transportation Committee. LL
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