Pennsylvania SB 1296: An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in commercial drivers, further providing for purpose and construction of chapter, providing for English proficiency standard and further providing for disqualification; and imposing penalties.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1600
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1296
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY J. WARD, BARTOLOTTA, PHILLIPS-HILL, HUTCHINSON,
LANGERHOLC, STEFANO, MARTIN AND BAKER, APRIL 17, 2026
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, APRIL 17, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in commercial drivers, further providing for
purpose and construction of chapter, providing for English
proficiency standard and further providing for
disqualification; and imposing penalties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1602 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subsection to read:
§ 1602. Purpose and construction of chapter.
* * *
(c) Federal law.--To the extent that this chapter conflicts
with Federal law or regulation, the Federal law or regulation
shall prevail. Notice of nonapplicability shall be transmitted
by the department to the Legislative Reference Bureau for
publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania
Bulletin.
Section 2. Title 75 is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 1607.1. English proficiency standard.
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(a) Requirement.--To operate a commercial motor vehicle in
this Commonwealth, an individual must meet the English
proficiency standard under subsection (b).
(b) Standard defined.--
(1) An individual can read and speak the English
language sufficiently to:
(i) Converse with the general public.
(ii) Understand highway traffic signs and signals in
the English language.
(iii) Respond to official inquiries.
(iv) Make entries on reports and records.
(2) The applicability of an individual's qualification
to speak in the English language shall not apply to hearing-
impaired drivers in accordance with Federal regulation.
(c) Offense defined.--An individual who operates a
commercial motor vehicle and fails to meet the English
proficiency standard under subsection (b) commits a summary
offense and, upon conviction, shall be subject to:
(1) A fine of $500 for a first offense and a
disqualification under section 1611 (relating to
disqualification).
(2) A fine of $1,000 for a second or subsequent offense
and a disqualification under section 1611.
(d) Operating prohibition.--
(1) A driver found to be in violation of this section
shall be prohibited from operating a commercial motor vehicle
within this Commonwealth.
(2) If the commercial motor vehicle is owned by an
employer, the employer shall be notified of the location of
the commercial motor vehicle involved in a violation.
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(3) If the vehicle is not towed, the employer may only
take possession following presentation of a driver who meets
the requirements of this chapter.
(4) In coordination with the employer, the cargo owner
may be notified and allowed to arrange for the transfer of
the cargo to another vehicle with a driver properly licensed
to operate the commercial motor vehicle, if applicable.
(e) Seizure of registration plate.--A person authorized to
enforce the provisions of this chapter shall seize the
registration plate and impound the commercial motor vehicle if
the individual is in violation of this section and the owner of
the vehicle is the driver. The individual may petition the
department for the return of the registration plate and pay a
processing fee of $500.
(f) Additional penalties.--
(1) An individual convicted under subsection (c) and
found to be operating a commercial motor vehicle in this
Commonwealth commits a misdemeanor.
(2) An individual operating a commercial motor vehicle
in this Commonwealth in violation of this section who causes
serious bodily injury or death commits a misdemeanor of the
third degree.
(g) Employer penalty.--An employer whose driver is convicted
under this section shall be subject to a fine of $3,000 for each
violation.
(h) Contractor penalty.--A prime contractor whose
subcontractor is a driver and convicted under this section shall
be subject to a fine of $3,000 for each violation.
Section 3. Section 1611(a) of Title 75 is amended to read:
§ 1611. Disqualification.
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(a) First violation of certain offenses.--Upon receipt of a
report of conviction, the department shall, in addition to any
other penalties imposed under this title, disqualify any person
from driving a commercial motor vehicle or school vehicle for a
period of one year for the first violation of:
(1) section 3802 (relating to driving under influence of
alcohol or controlled substance) or former section 3731,
where the person was a commercial driver at the time the
violation occurred;
(2) section 3742 (relating to accidents involving death
or personal injury), where the person was a commercial driver
at the time the violation occurred;