GOP continues push for English proficiency for CDL holders
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Legislation cracking down on unlicensed commercial driver's license mills is only a start for Rep. Brenda Pugh, R-Luzerne.
Pugh recently introduced HB 2723 which would require all applicants for a commercial driver's license in Pennsylvania to demonstrate English proficiency and have lawful immigration status. Pugh's bill faces an uphill battle in the state House, which has yet to move on Senate Bill 1295, sponsored by Sen. Judy Ward, R-Hollidaysburg, which would require English proficiency in the licensing of drivers, particularly issuance of a CDL, meaning the CDL test is to be offered in English, consistent with the CDL road test. SB 1295 passed the Senate in April by a 32-18 vote and has not moved in the House.
Pugh said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires all commercial motor vehicle drivers to meet an English language proficiency standard, regardless of citizenship or background. She says there have been incidents indicating CDL holders from multiple states lack the ability to communicate in English.
"Pennsylvania is home to some of the busiest interstate highways in the nation. Every day, commercial truck and bus drivers operating some of the largest vehicles on our roads must be able to read highway signs, understand electronic message boards, follow emergency detours, communicate with law enforcement and emergency responders, and safely respond to changing road conditions," Pugh said. "Our first responsibility is protecting the traveling public, and when someone is operating an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle, the ability to understand and communicate in English is not simply a licensing requirement; it is an essential public safety standard."
She proposes requiring commercial drivers to demonstrate the ability to read and understand highway signs and traffic signals in English, communicate effectively with law enforcement officers and emergency responders, respond to official inquiries and complete required reports and records. With respect to CDL holders from other states and countries, Pugh said her bill clarifies that out-of-state CDLs are only valid in Pennsylvania when the holder meets the English proficiency standard. Additionally, if a legal immigrant holding a CDL from another country applies for a CDL from PennDOT, the department may not exempt them from Pennsylvania's testing requirements. Finally, out-of-state CDL holders who apply for a Pennsylvania CDL would need to demonstrate English proficiency before PennDOT may issue them a CDL.
House Bill 2723 would require the state Transportation Department to verify English language proficiency before issuing or restoring a commercial driver's license; require third-party CDL testing providers to verify applicants meet the English language proficiency standard and subject those providers to random PennDOT audits; strengthen the verification of lawful immigration status for applicants seeking a Pennsylvania nonresident commercial driver's license through federally authorized verification systems; and establish penalties, including disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle, for drivers who fail to meet the required English language proficiency standard.
"Whether it's a major crash, severe weather, a hazardous materials incident, an AMBER Alert or another emergency where electronic message boards and emergency traffic signs provide real-time instructions that help keep motorists safe, commercial drivers must be able to quickly read, understand, and respond to those messages. This legislation helps reinforce the standards that protect not only the driver, but every family sharing Pennsylvania's roads," Pugh said.
Act 50 of 2026 was signed recently by Shapiro after being approved by both houses of the state Legislature. Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-Oil City was a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1294, which was passed 31-18 in the state Senate with only one nay vote in the state House of Representatives. The bill increases the penalty for running a CDL training center not approved by the state Board of Private Licensed Schools from $2,500 to $25,000, The new law does not impact private employers that provide CDL training to their own employees at no cost.