CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Pat Harrigan (R-NC)

SAFE Drivers Act

H.R. 5800 · House bill Transportation and Public Works

A Republican bill with 29 Republican cosponsors · See all 29 cosponsors

Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

In committee

Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.

The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

The SAFE Drivers Act requires all individuals applying for a new or renewed commercial driver's license or learner's permit to pass an English language proficiency test. This standardized assessment is approved by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and evaluates reading, writing, and understanding English related to commercial driving. The test covers areas such as reading road signs, responding to emergency communications, and writing driver logs. State departments of motor vehicles are responsible for administering and verifying these requirements. The Secretary of Transportation will monitor state compliance and may withhold federal funds from states that do not comply. The Act takes effect 12 months after its enactment.

Yes

No question was scored yes.

The opposite· 3 of 5

  • Scored -5

    Does this leave more decisions to the states?

    The bill mandates specific testing requirements on state DMVs and allows the federal government to withhold funds for non-compliance.

  • Scored -4

    Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?

    The English proficiency mandate may disproportionately affect Hispanic applicants seeking commercial driver's licenses.

  • Scored -4

    Would immigrants be better off under this?

    The requirement for English proficiency adds a significant barrier to professional licensure for immigrant populations.