HB 2723

                                                PRINTER'S NO.     3805
                THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
                    HOUSE BILL
                    No. 2723
                                          Session of
                                            2026
INTRODUCED BY PUGH, BANTA, WALLEN, KUZMA, WALSH AND SMITH,
   JULY 31, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, JULY 31, 2026
                               AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2    Statutes, in commercial drivers, further providing for
3    definitions, for commercial driver's license qualification
4    standards, for nonresident CDL and for disqualification,
5    providing for English language proficiency and further
6    providing for reciprocity.
7    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9    Section 1.    Section 1603 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania
10 Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition to read:
11 § 1603.    Definitions.
12    The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
13 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
14 context clearly indicates otherwise:
15    * * *
16    "Evidence of lawful immigration status."    As defined in 49
17 CFR 383.5 (relating to definitions).
18    * * *
19    Section 2.    Section 1607(a)(3), (6) and (9) of Title 75 are
20 amended and the subsection is amended by adding a paragraph to
1 read:
2 § 1607.    Commercial driver's license qualification standards.
3    (a)    Testing.--
4* * *
5(3)   The department may authorize a person, including an
6    agency of this or another state, an employer, a private
7    institution, association or driver training school, or a
8    department, agency or instrumentality of local government to
9    administer the skills test specified by this section,
10    provided:
11(i)    The test is the same as that which would
12otherwise be administered by the department.
13(ii)    The third party has entered into an agreement
14with the department.
15(iii)    The third party verifies the applicant for the
16commercial driver's license meets the English language
17proficiency standard under section 1611.1(b) (relating to
18English language proficiency).
19(3.1)   The department shall conduct random audits of
20    third-party testers authorized under paragraph (3) to ensure
21    compliance with paragraph (3)(iii).
22* * *
23(6)   The department shall provide applicants for
24    commercial driver's licenses with the choice of selecting a
25    knowledge test administered in either a written or an oral
26    format:
27(i)    The department shall administer the knowledge
28tests exclusively in [both] the English [and Spanish
29languages] language.
30(ii)    [An applicant requesting the oral or Spanish
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1version of the knowledge test must schedule for the
2examination at a testing site authorized by the
3department.] (Reserved).
4(iii)    The department shall offer alternate testing
5formats to avoid discrimination against drivers with
6limited literacy or verbal comprehension skills.
7(iv)    The alternative of an oral version of the
8knowledge test shall not be available to persons seeking
9a hazardous materials endorsement on a commercial
10driver's license.
11(v)    The use of interpreters, including written
12materials or electronic devices capable of providing
13language translation assistance, shall not be
14permitted[.], unless the persons are hearing-impaired and
15the interpreters, written materials or electronic devices
16are permitted in accordance with Federal regulation.
17* * *
18(9)   Interpreters, including written materials or
19    electronic devices capable of providing language translation
20    assistance, shall not be permitted during the administration
21    of the skills test. Neither the commercial driver learner's
22    permit holder nor the test examiner may communicate in a
23    language other than English during the skills test.
24    * * *
25    Section 3.  Section 1608(a) and (c) of Title 75 are amended
26 to read:
27 § 1608.    Nonresident CDL.
28    (a)     Issuance of nonresident CDL.--The department may issue a
29 nonresident CDL to a resident of a foreign jurisdiction if the
30 resident of a foreign jurisdiction possesses evidence of lawful
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1 immigration status. The following apply:
2(1)   The word "nondomiciled" shall appear on the face of
3    the nonresident CDL.
4(2)   An applicant shall surrender any nonresident CDL
5    issued by another state.
6(3)   Prior to issuing a nonresident CDL, the department
7    shall establish the practical capability of revoking,
8    suspending or canceling the nonresident CDL and disqualifying
9    the commercial motor vehicle driving privilege of that
10    person.
11(4)   Prior to issuing a nonresident CDL, the department
12    shall verify evidence of lawful immigration status of the
13    resident of a foreign jurisdiction by:
14(i)    verifying the person's evidence of lawful
15immigration status through the Systematic Alien
16Verification for Entitlements system maintained by the
17United States Department of Homeland Security, or through
18a successor electronic verification system required by
19Federal law, regulation or final rule; and
20(ii)    reviewing documents proving evidence of lawful
21immigration status that are required by Federal law,
22regulation or a final rule. The department may not accept
23the submission of documents not explicitly authorized by
24Federal law, regulation or final rule as acceptable
25evidence of lawful immigration status.
26    * * *
27    (c)   Waiver of testing requirement.--The department may issue
28 a nonresident CDL to a resident of a foreign jurisdiction
29 without requiring additional testing if the driver possesses a
30 valid CDL issued by another state [or by the foreign
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1 jurisdiction of the driver and the United States Secretary of
2 Transportation has determined that the commercial motor vehicle
3 testing and licensing standards in the foreign jurisdiction meet
4 the testing standards established in Federal regulations.] and
5 the department verifies the driver meets the English language
6 proficiency standard under section 1611.1 (relating to English
7 language proficiency).
8    Section 4.       Section 1611 of Title 75 is amended by adding a
9 subsection to read:
10 § 1611.    Disqualification.
11    * * *
12    (c.2)    Violations of English language proficiency standard.--
13 The department shall disqualify a person for a first violation
14 of section 1611.1(c) (relating to English language proficiency)
15 for one year. For a second and subsequent violation of section
16 1611.1(c), the department shall disqualify the person for two
17 years.
18    * * *
19    Section 5.       Title 75 is amended by adding a section to read:
20 § 1611.1.       English language proficiency.
21    (a)    Requirement.--
22(1)    To operate a commercial motor vehicle in this
23    Commonwealth, a person must meet the English language
24    proficiency standard under subsection (b).
25(2)    Prior to the issuance of a CDL to a person,
26    including a nonresident CDL, the department shall verify the
27    person meets the English language proficiency standard under
28    subsection (b).
29    (b)    Standard defined.--
30(1)    A person meets the English language proficiency
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1    standard if the person is able to read and speak the English
2    language sufficiently to:
3(i)     Converse with the general public.
4(ii)     Understand highway traffic signs and signals in
5the English language.
6(iii)     Respond to official inquiries.
7(iv)     Make entries on reports and records.
8(2)   The applicability of a person's qualification to
9    speak in the English language shall not apply to hearing-
10    impaired drivers in accordance with Federal regulation.
11    (c)    Offense defined.--A person who operates a commercial
12 motor vehicle and fails to meet the English proficiency standard
13 under subsection (b) commits a summary offense and, upon
14 conviction, shall be subject to:
15(1)   A fine of $500 for a first offense and a one-year
16    disqualification under section 1611(c.2) (relating to
17    disqualification).
18(2)   A civil penalty of $1,000 for a second or subsequent
19    offense and a two-year disqualification under section
20    1611(c.2).
21    (d)    Verification by department.--If a person seeks to
22 restore the person's commercial operating privilege from the
23 department after a period of disqualification required under
24 subsection (c), the department shall verify the person meets the
25 English language proficiency standard under subsection (b) prior
26 to restoring the person's commercial operative privilege.
27    Section 6.  Section 1616 of Title 75 is amended to read:
28 § 1616.    Reciprocity.
29    Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person may drive a
30 commercial motor vehicle if the person has a commercial driver's
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1 license issued by any state, or any province or territory of
2 Canada in accordance with the minimum Federal standards for the
3 issuance of commercial motor vehicle drivers' licenses, if:
4(1)   the person's operating privilege is not suspended,
5    revoked or canceled [and if];
6(2)   the person is not disqualified from driving a
7    commercial motor vehicle or subject to an out-of-service
8    order[.]; and
9(3)   the person meets the English language proficiency
10    standard under section 1611.1 (relating to English language
11    proficiency).
12    Section 7.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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