SB 1296

                                                   PRINTER'S NO.   1600
                THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
                   SENATE BILL
                   No. 1296
                                             Session of
                                               2026
INTRODUCED BY J. WARD, BARTOLOTTA, PHILLIPS-HILL, HUTCHINSON,
   LANGERHOLC, STEFANO, MARTIN AND BAKER, APRIL 17, 2026
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, APRIL 17, 2026
                               AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2    Statutes, in commercial drivers, further providing for
3    purpose and construction of chapter, providing for English
4    proficiency standard and further providing for
5    disqualification; and imposing penalties.
6    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8    Section 1.    Section 1602 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania
9 Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subsection to read:
10 § 1602.    Purpose and construction of chapter.
11    * * *
12    (c)    Federal law.--To the extent that this chapter conflicts
13 with Federal law or regulation, the Federal law or regulation
14 shall prevail. Notice of nonapplicability shall be transmitted
15 by the department to the Legislative Reference Bureau for
16 publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania
17 Bulletin.
18    Section 2.    Title 75 is amended by adding a section to read:
19 § 1607.1.    English proficiency standard.
1    (a)   Requirement.--To operate a commercial motor vehicle in
2 this Commonwealth, an individual must meet the English
3 proficiency standard under subsection (b).
4    (b)   Standard defined.--
5(1)   An individual can read and speak the English
6    language sufficiently to:
7(i)    Converse with the general public.
8(ii)    Understand highway traffic signs and signals in
9the English language.
10(iii)    Respond to official inquiries.
11(iv)    Make entries on reports and records.
12(2)   The applicability of an individual's qualification
13    to speak in the English language shall not apply to hearing-
14    impaired drivers in accordance with Federal regulation.
15    (c)   Offense defined.--An individual who operates a
16 commercial motor vehicle and fails to meet the English
17 proficiency standard under subsection (b) commits a summary
18 offense and, upon conviction, shall be subject to:
19(1)   A fine of $500 for a first offense and a
20    disqualification under section 1611 (relating to
21    disqualification).
22(2)   A fine of $1,000 for a second or subsequent offense
23    and a disqualification under section 1611.
24    (d)   Operating prohibition.--
25(1)   A driver found to be in violation of this section
26    shall be prohibited from operating a commercial motor vehicle
27    within this Commonwealth.
28(2)   If the commercial motor vehicle is owned by an
29    employer, the employer shall be notified of the location of
30    the commercial motor vehicle involved in a violation.
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1(3)   If the vehicle is not towed, the employer may only
2    take possession following presentation of a driver who meets
3    the requirements of this chapter.
4(4)   In coordination with the employer, the cargo owner
5    may be notified and allowed to arrange for the transfer of
6    the cargo to another vehicle with a driver properly licensed
7    to operate the commercial motor vehicle, if applicable.
8    (e)    Seizure of registration plate.--A person authorized to
9 enforce the provisions of this chapter shall seize the
10 registration plate and impound the commercial motor vehicle if
11 the individual is in violation of this section and the owner of
12 the vehicle is the driver. The individual may petition the
13 department for the return of the registration plate and pay a
14 processing fee of $500.
15    (f)    Additional penalties.--
16(1)   An individual convicted under subsection (c) and
17    found to be operating a commercial motor vehicle in this
18    Commonwealth commits a misdemeanor.
19(2)   An individual operating a commercial motor vehicle
20    in this Commonwealth in violation of this section who causes
21    serious bodily injury or death commits a misdemeanor of the
22    third degree.
23    (g)    Employer penalty.--An employer whose driver is convicted
24 under this section shall be subject to a fine of $3,000 for each
25 violation.
26    (h)    Contractor penalty.--A prime contractor whose
27 subcontractor is a driver and convicted under this section shall
28 be subject to a fine of $3,000 for each violation.
29    Section 3.     Section 1611(a) of Title 75 is amended to read:
30 § 1611.    Disqualification.
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1    (a)   First violation of certain offenses.--Upon receipt of a
2 report of conviction, the department shall, in addition to any
3 other penalties imposed under this title, disqualify any person
4 from driving a commercial motor vehicle or school vehicle for a
5 period of one year for the first violation of:
6(1)   section 3802 (relating to driving under influence of
7    alcohol or controlled substance) or former section 3731,
8    where the person was a commercial driver at the time the
9    violation occurred;
10(2)   section 3742 (relating to accidents involving death
11    or personal injury), where the person was a commercial driver
12    at the time the violation occurred;
13(3)   section 3743 (relating to accidents involving damage
14    to attended vehicle or property), where the person was a
15    commercial driver at the time the violation occurred;
16(4)   section 3745 (relating to accidents involving damage
17    to unattended vehicle or property), where the person was a
18    commercial driver at the time the violation occurred;
19(5)   any felony in the commission of which a court
20    determines a motor vehicle was essentially involved and where
21    the person was a commercial driver at the time the violation
22    occurred, except as described in subsection (e);
23(6)   section 1606(c) (relating to requirement for
24    commercial driver's license); [or]
25(7)   any offense wherein the person caused the death of a
26    person as a result of a motor vehicle accident through the
27    negligent operation of a commercial motor vehicle, including,
28    but not limited to, a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 2504
29    (relating to involuntary manslaughter) or a violation of
30    section 3732 (relating to homicide by vehicle)[.]; or
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1(8)   section 1607.1 (relating to English proficiency
2   standard).
3   * * *
4   Section 4.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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