Tennessee House Bill HB1023

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/25
• Refer: 2/10/25
• Refer: 2/25/25
• Refer: 3/11/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55 and Title 65, Chapter 15, relative to commercial driver licenses.

Summary

HB1023 amends Tennessee law governing commercial driver licenses and motor carrier safety enforcement to require English-language proficiency for commercial drivers. The bill authorizes the Department of Safety to suspend a CDL if a driver cannot read and speak English sufficiently to converse with the public, understand highway signs and signals, respond to official inquiries, and complete required reports and records, unless the driver qualifies for a narrow exemption tied to a hearing-standard exemption and the ability to read and write English. It also directs the department to create and administer an English proficiency test for reinstatement. The bill further requires enforcement officers to place a driver out of service during a safety inspection if the driver lacks the required English proficiency, again with the same limited exemption. In that situation, the vehicle may not be operated until a substitute driver who meets the English-language requirement is available. The measure also makes the employer liable for resulting fines or fees and classifies a violation as a Class C misdemeanor attributable to the employer, punishable by a $500 fine, while specifying that the citation is nonmoving and does not add points to the driver’s record.

Impact

HB1023 would expand state enforcement tools in Title 55 and Title 65 by tying CDL eligibility, roadside inspections, and employer penalties to compliance with federal English-language standards for commercial drivers. It would require the Department of Safety to develop a new English proficiency test, create a process for CDL suspension and reinstatement, and authorize out-of-service orders during inspections. The bill also shifts financial and legal consequences toward employers by making them responsible for fines, fees, and misdemeanor citations related to violations.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill received generally favorable committee support, advancing 7-2 in the House Transportation Subcommittee and 14-2 in the House Transportation Committee. That pattern indicates broad agreement among transportation committee members that the measure should move forward, though not unanimous support. No committee transcript was provided, so the record does not show detailed floor or committee debate beyond the votes.

Contention

The main point of contention appears to be the bill’s strict English-language requirement and the enforcement mechanism that can suspend a CDL or place a driver out of service based on an officer’s determination. Critics may view the measure as burdensome or as creating operational disruptions for carriers, especially because it also imposes employer liability and criminalizes violations as a Class C misdemeanor. Supporters likely frame it as a highway safety and compliance measure aligned with federal standards, with the bill’s narrow exemption for certain drivers with hearing exemptions serving as a limited safeguard.