JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI — The Missouri House advanced legislation Thursday requiring commercial motor vehicle drivers — including semi-truck and school bus operators — to pass English language proficiency tests, with fines for both drivers and carriers who violate the requirement.
HB 2741 passed 104-22 on April 16 and now heads to the Missouri Senate. The bill applies to anyone driving a commercial vehicle designed to carry freight or transport more than eight passengers. Farmers, first responders, and people moving personal belongings are exempt.
What the Bill Requires
Under the bill, drivers must demonstrate the ability to understand highway traffic signs and converse in English with law enforcement and the general public. Non-citizen CDL holders must also carry proof of legal status — documentation already required to obtain a non-domiciled CDL.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol already has an existing protocol for examining English proficiency during traffic stops and at weigh stations. At the request of MSHP, a specific protocol was not written into the bill to allow for easier updates in the future.
Drivers found in violation face misdemeanor charges and a $1,000 fine for a first offense. Their carrier faces a $3,000 fine.
What Lawmakers Said
Bill sponsor Rep. Carolyn Caton, R-Blue Springs, said the legislation mirrors existing federal law that Missouri began enforcing more heavily under the second Trump administration. “We need CDL drivers. We just need to make sure that they can understand the road signs and what they’re actually hauling,” Caton said. She pointed to a February incident in which a semi-truck driver went the wrong way on Highway 61 near Troy and could not pass an English proficiency test — a case that drew national attention after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted about it.
Rep. Steve Butz, D-St. Louis, was one of the few Democrats to vote in favor. “There are some jobs that to be truly proficient enough in English to accomplish that job is critical. I do think becoming a heavy equipment operator, driving an over-the-road truck, is certainly one of those,” Butz said. He noted that many of his Bosnian-immigrant constituents are truck drivers and said drivers in that community told him it would be difficult to obtain a proper license without already being proficient in English.
Opposition came from several Democrats. Rep. Eric Woods, D-Kansas City, raised concerns about subjectivity. “What is to stop someone from saying that a person can’t properly converse with the general public in English because they have a strong accent?” he asked. Caton responded: “It’s pretty obvious if someone can read and understand the signs versus if they can’t, so in their mind, it’s really not subjective.” Other Democrats warned the legislation could push trucking companies out of Missouri. An equal number of Democratic representatives — 22 — voted present as those who voted against the bill.
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