California suing Fed for withholding $33M in funding over ELP noncompliance

California is suing the Trump administration for withholding over $33 million in federal funds for a failure to comply with English Language Proficiency enforcement requirements for truck drivers. 

California sued Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the US Department of Transportation, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in US District Court in northern California late on Friday, December 12th. The decision to terminate California’s commercial vehicle safety programs was announced in October. 

According to Reuters, USDOT claims that California failed to comply with ELP rules, while the state claims that it enforces English language standards for truck drivers that align with federal requirements. California calls the withholding “arbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion, and contrary to law; imperils the safety of all persons driving in California; and threatens to wreak significant economic damage.”

The $33 million in funding would have gone towards roadside inspections, traffic enforcement, safety audits of trucking companies, and education campaigns for the public. USDOT and FMCSA have not yet issued official statements on the withholding decision.