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English Requirement Bill Shot Down
English Requirement Bill Shot Down
A bill seeking to make it clear that aspiring truck drivers must have a firm grasp on the English language before obtaining a license was shot down in New Hampshire.
Federal regulation currently requires people to be able to speak and read English enough to prepare reports, communicate with law enforcement and the public, and to read road signs before that can receive their CDL.
Sen. Johns Barnes Jr., R-Raymond, introduced SB388 in an attempt to add these same requirements to state law. However the Senate Transportation and Interstate Cooperation Committee rules that the bill was "inexpedient to legislate," which effectively killed it until next year.
Supporters voice that aspiring drivers must have a grasp on the English language before obtaining their CDL or else cause a high risk to public safety. They also point out the current federal regulations.
Opponents counter that there are no studies showing that being proficient in English leads to safer driving. They also point out that there are several more pressing issues to address.
The bill is available to be reintroduced in the 2009 regular session.
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