Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/12/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1569
4
5 By: Representative Long
6 By: Senator J. Payton
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO CREATE THE SECURE ROADS AND SAFE TRUCKING
10 ACT OF 2025; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING A COMMERCIAL
11 DRIVER LICENSE AND THE OPERATORS OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR
12 VEHICLES; TO REQUIRE THAT OPERATORS OF COMMERCIAL
13 MOTOR VEHICLES HAVE PROFICIENCY IN THE ENGLISH
14 LANGUAGE; TO REQUIRE THAT OPERATORS OF COMMERCIAL
15 MOTOR VEHICLES HAVE A VALID COMMERCIAL DRIVER
16 LICENSE; TO CREATE ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR
17 OFFENSES COMMITTED WHILE OPERATING A COMMERCIAL MOTOR
18 VEHICLE; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER
19 PURPOSES.
20
21
22 Subtitle
23 TO CREATE THE SECURE ROADS AND SAFE
24 TRUCKING ACT OF 2025; TO AMEND THE LAW
25 CONCERNING COMMERCIAL DRIVERS; TO CREATE
26 PENALTIES FOR OFFENSES COMMITTED WHILE
27 OPERATING A COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE;
28 AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
29
30 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
31
32 SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Title.
33 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Secure Roads and Safe
34 Trucking Act of 2025".
35
36 SECTION 2. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings.
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As Engrossed: H3/12/25 HB1569
1 The General Assembly finds that:
2 (1) Government entities have existing requirements for the
3 operators of various modes of commercial transportation to demonstrate
4 English proficiency;
5 (2) A requirement to demonstrate English proficiency is not
6 unique to the operation of a commercial motor vehicle and is required for
7 other modes of commercial transportation;
8 (3) A demonstration of English proficiency is required during
9 the licensure process for a pilot's license and instrument rating under 14
10 C.F.R. Parts 61, 63, 65, and 107; and
11 (4) The International Civil Aviation Organization, of which the
12 United States is a member, requires operators of commercial aircraft to
13 demonstrate English language proficiency.
14
15 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code Title 27, Chapter 23, Subchapter 1, is
16 amended to add additional sections to read as follows:
17 27-23-132. Requirement to possess commercial driver license from valid
18 jurisdiction.
19 An individual operating a commercial motor vehicle within this state
20 shall possess:
21 (1) A valid commercial driver license issued by a state,
22 territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or
23 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; or
24 (2) Both:
25 (A) A valid commercial driver license issued by a state,
26 territory, district, or province of Canada or Mexico; and
27 (B) A valid work visa.
28 27-23-133. Operation of commercial motor vehicle by certain visa
29 holders.
30 (a)(1) A holder of a B-1, B-2, or B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant visitor visa
31 under 22 C.F.R. �� 41.31 - 41.33, as they existed on January 1, 2025, shall
32 not perform labor or services operating a commercial motor vehicle within
33 this state.
34 (2) The act of operating a commercial motor vehicle is
35 considered labor.
36 (b) A commercial motor carrier as defined in � 27-14-613 that is
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As Engrossed: H3/12/25 HB1569
1 domiciled in the United States and operating in Arkansas shall not employ or
2 contract with a holder of a B-1, B-2, or B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant visitor visa
3 under 22 C.F.R. �� 41.31 -- 41.33, as they existed on January 1, 2025, as an
4 operator of a commercial motor vehicle within this state.
5 (c) Upon a finding that the holder of a B-1, B-2, or B-1/B-2
6 nonimmigrant visitor visa under 22 C.F.R. �� 41.31--41.33, as it existed on
7 January 1, 2025, operated a commercial motor vehicle:
8 (1) The commercial motor vehicle shall be impounded, subject to
9 the process for the impoundment of a motor vehicle as set forth under � 27-
10 22-109(b) and (c);
11 (2) The operator of the commercial motor vehicle who violates
12 this section shall be subject to a fine of five thousand ($5,000) dollars.
13
14 27-23-134. Exclusion of reciprocity.
15 A nondomiciled commercial driver license or nondomiciled commercial
16 learner's permit issued by a state other than Arkansas under 49 C.F.R. �
17 383.71, as it existed on January 1, 2025, is not valid to authorize the
18 operation of a commercial motor vehicle within this state.
19
20 27-23-135. English proficiency.
21 An operator of a commercial motor vehicle shall demonstrate proficiency
22 in the English language sufficient to:
23 (1) Read road signs and warning signs;
24 (2) Understand traffic control devices; and
25 (3) Communicate effectively in an emergency with:
26 (A) Emergency services;
27 (B) Law enforcement; and
28 (C) Other drivers.
29
30 27-23-136. Noncitizen operating commercial motor vehicle without
31 domestic commercial driver license.
32 (a) A person commits the offense of operating a commercial motor
33 vehicle without a domestic commercial driver license if he or she:
34 (1) Is not a citizen of the United States;
35 (2) Operates a commercial motor vehicle; and
36 (3) Does not hold a valid commercial driver license under � 27-
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1 23-132.
2 (b)(1) The offense of operating a commercial motor vehicle without a
3 domestic commercial driver license is a violation and is subject to a fine of
4 five thousand dollars ($5,000).
5 (2) Upon an arrest for a violation of this section, the
6 commercial motor vehicle that the person was operating shall be impounded,
7 subject to the process for the impoundment of a motor vehicle stated under �
8 27-22-109(b) and (c).
9 (c) An offense under this section is a strict liability offense.
10
11 27-23-137. Criminal use of a commercial motor vehicle.
12 (a) A person commits the offense of criminal use of a commercial motor
13 vehicle if he or she:
14 (1) Is not a citizen of the United States;
15 (2) Does not hold a valid commercial driver license under � 27-
16 23-132; and
17 (3) Causes the bodily harm of another person while operating a
18 commercial motor vehicle.
19 (b) The offense of criminal use of a commercial motor vehicle is a
20 Class D felony with a minimum term of imprisonment of six (6) months.
21 (c) An offense under this section is a strict liability offense.
22
23 27-23-138. Vehicular homicide with a commercial motor vehicle.
24 (a) A person commits the offense of vehicular homicide with a
25 commercial motor vehicle if he or she:
26 (1) Is not a citizen of the United States;
27 (2) Does not hold a valid commercial driver license under � 27-
28 23-132; and
29 (3) Causes the death of another person while operating a
30 commercial motor vehicle.
31 (b) The offense of vehicular homicide with a commercial motor vehicle
32 is a Class B felony with a minimum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years.
33 (c) An offense under this section is a strict liability offense.
34
35 27-23-139. Operating commercial motor vehicle without sufficient
36 English language proficiency.
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1 (a) A person commits the offense of operating a commercial motor
2 vehicle without sufficient English language proficiency if he or she:
3 (1) Operates a commercial vehicle; and
4 (2) Fails to demonstrate proficiency in the English language as
5 required under � 27-23-135.
6 (b) The offense of operating a commercial motor vehicle without
7 sufficient English language proficiency is a violation and is subject to a
8 fine of five thousand dollars ($5,000).
9 (c) An offense under this section is a strict liability offense.
10
11 27-23-140. Providing commercial motor vehicle to ineligible operator --
12 Penalties -- Definition.
13 (a) A commercial motor carrier commits the offense of providing a
14 commercial motor vehicle to an ineligible operator if the commercial motor
15 carrier negligently provides a commercial vehicle to a person who:
16 (1) Operates the commercial motor vehicle; and
17 (2) Violates � 27-23-133, � 27-23-136, or � 27-23-139.
18 (b) The offense of providing a commercial motor vehicle to an
19 ineligible operator is a violation and is subject to a fine of ten thousand
20 dollars ($10,000).
21 (c) As used in this section, "commercial motor carrier" means the same
22 as used in � 27-14-613.
23
24 SECTION 4. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the
25 General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that that the implementation of
26 this act is essential to the safety of the citizens of the State of Arkansas;
27 and that this act is immediately necessary because a delay in implementing
28 this act could cause irreparable harm to public safety. Therefore, an
29 emergency is declared to exist, and this act being immediately necessary for
30 the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become
31 effective on:
32 (1) The date of its approval by the Governor;
33 (2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor,
34 the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the
35 bill; or
36 (3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is
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1 overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.
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6 03-12-2025 11:21:40 ZRC054Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.