House File 2101 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2101 BY A. MEYER A BILL FOR An Act prohibiting the use of a language other than English for 1 class C commercial driver’s license examinations. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5252YH (2) 91 th/ns
H.F. 2101 Section 1. Section 1.18, subsection 5, paragraph i, Code 1 2026, is amended to read as follows: 2 i. Any oral or written communications, examinations, or 3 publications , other than examinations for a class C commercial 4 driver’s license, produced or utilized by a driver’s license 5 station, provided public safety is not jeopardized. 6 Sec. 2. Section 321.187, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended 7 to read as follows: 8 1. The department shall examine applicants for driver’s 9 licenses. The department, a third-party test examiner, or a 10 third-party tester shall not use a language other than English 11 to examine an applicant for a class C commercial driver’s 12 license. Examiners of the department shall wear an identifying 13 badge and uniform provided by the department. 14 EXPLANATION 15 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 16 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 17 Under current law, the English language is the official 18 language of the state of Iowa. All official documents, 19 regulations, orders, transactions, proceedings, programs, 20 meetings, publications, or actions taken or issued, which are 21 conducted or regulated by, or on behalf of, or representing 22 Iowa and all of its political subdivisions are required to be 23 in the English language. However, there are exceptions to 24 this requirement, including communications, examinations, and 25 publications produced or utilized by driver’s license stations. 26 This bill provides that the driver’s license examination 27 exception does not apply to class C commercial driver’s license 28 (CDL) examinations. The department of transportation (DOT) 29 uses one of three designations to classify CDLs, described 30 in 761 IAC 602.3(1) as class A CDL, class B CDL, and class C 31 CDL. A class C CDL is valid for a vehicle with a gross vehicle 32 weight rating (GVWR) of less than 26,001 pounds, or any such 33 vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR. 34 A class C CDL applies only to vehicles that are required to be 35 -1- LSB 5252YH (2) 91 th/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 2101 placarded for hazardous materials or vehicles that are designed 1 to transport 16 or more persons including the driver, or any 2 redesigned or modified vehicle with a GVWR of 10,001 or more 3 pounds that has been redesigned or modified to transport less 4 than 16 persons with disabilities. The bill also prohibits the 5 DOT or designated third parties from using a language other 6 than English to examine an applicant for a class C CDL. 7 -2- LSB 5252YH (2) 91 th/ns 2/ 2