New bill proposes $100K cabotage fines, mandatory English tests for truckers

A Texas congressman has proposed a bill, named after an 8-year-old boy killed in a 2023 truck accident, that would require truck drivers to pass English proficiency tests and face penalties for hiring ineligible drivers. U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) introduced the legislation, known as Barron's Law, aiming to enhance commercial trucking safety by ensuring drivers have lawful immigration status and the ability to communicate in English.

The bill would make passing a standardized English-language proficiency test a requirement for obtaining or renewing a commercial driver's license (CDL), and it would also mandate that CDL applicants be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or otherwise authorized to work in commercial vehicle operations. Failure to meet these requirements could result in civil penalties for motor carriers, with fines reaching up to $100,000 per vehicle per day for foreign carriers caught illegally hauling domestic freight.