Members of the Alabama Senate passed the Highway Fairness Act on Tuesday.
The bill by State Sen. Lance Bell (R-Pell City) would codify into state law federal highway safety and transportation regulations requiring individuals who have obtained a commercial driver's license from a foreign government to present valid proof of entry documentation to operate within the state.
The bill would codify into state law federal highway safety and transportation regulations requiring individuals operating commercial vehicles to be proficient in English and would provide for penalties and impoundment procedures associated with violations. The bill would create the offense of presenting a false foreign commercial driver's license and provide for penalties.
It would also create the offense of operating a commercial motor vehicle without proper documentation and provide for penalties.
Bell said the bill's goal was to "get bad actors off the roads driving our 18 wheelers."
"We all know that 18-wheelers going up and down the road are very dangerous, and we've got to make sure that we don't have the bad actors there and that we have people that are actually certified and able to drive that cargo, get it from point A to point B," Bell told reporters on Tuesday. "Not only does it help our citizens. It helps our businesses get the products like they're supposed to, and you've got to have some form of English language speaking."
The bill now heads to the House for consideration.
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