New bill targets undocumented truck drivers
A new pursuit at the Florida statehouse addresses concern about undocumented truck drivers.
The legislation comes on the heels of federal action on the issue.
On Aug. 26, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy threatened to withhold federal funding for states that don’t comply with English-proficiency regulations. Duffy followed up with an announcement last week that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will withhold funds from California for non-compliance.
Bills in the U.S. House and Senate also address the issue.
The actions stem from a deadly crash Aug. 12 on the Florida Turnpike. Three people in a minivan were killed when a truck driver attempted to make an illegal U-turn.
The driver failed an English-proficiency assessment by FMCSA officials after the crash.
The state of Florida has since started using its agricultural inspection stations to verify English-language proficiency.
Lawmakers want to tighten who can hold a CDL — and some truckers could be left out.
Rep. Rouzer’s new bill would codify DOT’s rule limiting non-domiciled CDLs — targeting loopholes tied to a rash of crashes.
Could this reshape CDL enforcement nationwide? ⚖️… pic.twitter.com/U3g9QgzHZ3
— Land Line Magazine (@Land_Line_Mag) October 15, 2025
Florida state lawmaker gets involved
Florida state Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, filed legislation that goes a step further.
The bill, SB86, would require a law enforcement officer to take undocumented truck drivers into custody. The arresting officer would also be responsible to “facilitate the transfer” of the undocumented driver into the custody of immigration officials.
Trucks operated by affected drivers would be impounded. The owner of the vehicle would also be required to pay a $50,000 fine. The fine must be paid before the truck could be released to the owner.
A motor carrier that owns, leases or otherwise operates a commercial vehicle operated by an undocumented driver would be forbidden from operating in the state.
SB86 can be considered during the upcoming Florida legislative session. The regular session is set to begin Jan. 13.
The bill will start in the Senate Transportation Committee. If approved there, it would head to the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. LL