Bill threatens to withhold federal funding from states that fail to uphold CDL residency requirements and English rules for truck drivers
A U.S. Senator has introduced new legislation in response to a high profile triple fatality crash that occurred on the Florida Turnpike in August 2025.
On September 3, 2025, Senator Ashley Moody of Florida announced the introduction of the “Safer Truckers Act of 2025” in an effort to “protect drivers on the roadways” following an August 12 crash involving truck driver Harjinder Singh that left three people dead in St. Lucie County, Florida.
The bill establishes the following two requirements:
- The first requirement ensures that Commercial Driver’s Licenses are only awarded to U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or holders of a valid work visa.
- The second requirement requires states to report to the federal government on their efforts to uphold the English proficiency requirements.
States that do not comply with these two requirements risk the loss of federal funds the states receive from the Department of Transportation if the bill passes.
“Failure to adhere to these two provisions would jeopardize a state’s eligibility funding and becomes the mechanism by which the federal government can force compliance from sanctuary states like California and Washington,” Moody said in a news release announcing bill.
“If you’re a commercial truck driver in America, being able to competently read the road signs in English isn’t optional… it’s the job. That’s why I’m introducing the Safer Truckers Act to prevent what we saw just happen in my home state where an illegal alien, who failed his English Language Proficiency test, made a dangerous U-Turn in the middle of an interstate and killed three people. States must ensure that folks are safe on our roadways and if they don’t, they should forfeit federal funds,” said Moody.
“On behalf of Florida Trucking Association, I applaud the introduction of The Safer Truckers Act of 2025 by Florida’s own Senator, Ashley Moody. The number one priority for the trucking industry is safety. Senator Moody’s proposal will close loopholes that have allowed unauthorized and unqualified drivers to operate heavy commercial vehicles and reinforce the integrity of our licensing system; improving security on America’s highways,” said Alix Miller, President and CEO of Florida Trucking Association.
On August 26, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that California, Washington, and New Mexico would lose up to 100% of Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program federal funding unless they adopt and enforce English Language Proficiency requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers within 30 days.