Florida’s governor has put the brakes on a piece of legislation that would have expanded CDL training opportunities for certain inmates in state correctional facilities.
On Friday, June 26, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed HB 325. The bill would have expanded the Florida Department of Transportation’s CDL training program within the department’s Transportation Academy to include non-violent inmates who are scheduled for release or have two years or less remaining on their sentence. The bill requires that inmates be proficient in English to qualify.
The bill would also authorize inmates “to be transported in or operate a state-owned vehicle for the purpose of completing program requirements or demonstrating proficiency”, meaning some of the training would take place outside of correctional facilities. This was a key sticking point for DeSantis.
“Not only is this new program unnecessarily burdensome to the Department of Corrections staff and its facilities, but it also creates significant public safety concerns by authorizing incarcerated individuals to operate commercial vehicles in public thoroughfares,” DeSantis said in his veto letter.
Introduced this past November by Rep. Kim Kendall, R-18th District, the legislation was designed to reduce recidivism rates by preparing inmates for careers after their release.
“Florida’s commitment to enhancing workforce development efforts and supporting our state’s trucking industry is clear, and while portions of the bill may support both goals, those can be achieved through the existing oversight of both the Department of Corrections and Department of Transportation, that do not put our roads at risk,” DeSantis said.
The veto is somewhat surprising, given the unanimous support the bill received in both the House and Senate. In February, the House voted 112-0 to pass the bill onto the Senate. In March, the bill was advanced by the Senate on a 36-0 vote.
Despite the veto, Florida lawmakers could still override it, but they will have to wait until the next legislative session. An override would require a two-thirds vote in both chambers. The state’s next legislative session is scheduled to convene on March 2, 2027. LL
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