Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Arkansas signed Act 604 into law, enforcing English proficiency for truck drivers.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The rules of the road require you to read and understand the signs on the road.
“The English language proficiency requirement has been a part of that since the 1930s, so this is not necessarily a new development,” Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) President Shannon Newton said.
Newton said that the regulation has long been set under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). However, she said the rule hasn’t been regularly enforced.
“There are actually some some Mexican CDLs that we had learned would been acquired fraudulently and were being presented,” Newton said.
That’s when Newton and state legislators gathered to create House Bill 1745, now known as Act 604.
“We could codify the federal regulation, which would allow both state police and local law enforcement to write citations for being not proficient in the English language,” Newton said.
Before this bill, only highway police could enforce the standard. Now, all law enforcement agencies have the authority to hold drivers accountable.
“There’s 100 or so different things that they look at at these weigh stations, from brakes to tail lights,” ARDOT Public Information Officer Dae Parker said. “If it’s deemed that a driver, he or she, may not be understanding them well, or something in that exchange gives them the indication they’re not understanding conversing well in English.”
While it adds more to the plate of law enforcement, one truck driver said it’s worth it.
“I like it because there are some people that don’t speak our language, cannot read the signs, and if we’re going into a place that’s dangerous and they’re carrying any kind of hazmat or cosmetic material, that’s endangering themselves and the public,” Jodie Patton said.
Along with English proficiency, “certain commercial driver license holders must possess a U.S. work authorization to operate a commercial motor vehicle in the state.”
Not meeting that criteria comes with a cost.
“A $500 fine for the first offense and a $1,000 fine for any subsequent offense after that,” Newton said.
The ATA said this new Arkansas bill adds to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month.
“That announcement by President Trump actually was the solution that kind of alleviated the concerns that we had brought,” Newton said. “The driver will no longer be able to operate the equipment if he is not proficient in the English language, which is a big win for safety, for driver advocates and for the advancement of this policy.”
Those out-of-service violations are set to go into effect nationwide June 25, 2025.
Here in the natural state, House Bill 1745, now Act 604, goes into effect in early August.