HF 2101 (LSB 5252YH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2101

BY  A. MEYER

A BILL FOR

An Act prohibiting the use of a language other than English for class C commercial driver’s license examinations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 1.18, subsection 5, paragraph i, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   i.  Any oral or written communications, examinations, or publications, other than examinations for a class C commercial driver’s license, produced or utilized by a driver’s license station, provided public safety is not jeopardized.
    Sec. 2.  Section 321.187, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  The department shall examine applicants for driver’s licenses.  The department, a third-party test examiner, or a third-party tester shall not use a language other than English to examine an applicant for a class C commercial driver’s license. Examiners of the department shall wear an identifying badge and uniform provided by the department.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   Under current law, the English language is the official language of the state of Iowa. All official documents, regulations, orders, transactions, proceedings, programs, meetings, publications, or actions taken or issued, which are conducted or regulated by, or on behalf of, or representing Iowa and all of its political subdivisions are required to be in the English language. However, there are exceptions to this requirement, including communications, examinations, and publications produced or utilized by driver’s license stations.
   This bill provides that the driver’s license examination exception does not apply to class C commercial driver’s license (CDL) examinations. The department of transportation (DOT) uses one of three designations to classify CDLs, described in 761 IAC 602.3(1) as class A CDL, class B CDL, and class C CDL. A class C CDL is valid for a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 26,001 pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR. A class C CDL applies only to vehicles that are required to be placarded for hazardous materials or vehicles that are designed to transport 16 or more persons including the driver, or any redesigned or modified vehicle with a GVWR of 10,001 or more pounds that has been redesigned or modified to transport less than 16 persons with disabilities. The bill also prohibits the DOT or designated third parties from using a language other than English to examine an applicant for a class C CDL.