91��Ƶ

The Indiana state capitol in Indianapolis. (Ray Tan/Getty Images)

Indiana canceled nearly 1,790 non-domiciled commercial driver licenses April 1 when a new law took effect aimed at undocumented truckers and their employers.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita praised the enactment of House Bill 1200, which he helped craft.

He said the state will now crack down on undocumented drivers holding CDLs, mandate English proficiency for all CDL testing and impose strong penalties on companies employing unlicensed or undocumented drivers.

“We’ve seen too many tragic accidents caused by those with no legal right to be behind the wheel of massive commercial trucks or in the country at all,” Rokita said. “No more. Through this new law, we are leading the way to make our roadways safer.”

Image

��ǰ쾱�ٲ���

Gov. Mike Braun signed the bill into law March 12 as House Enrolled Act No. 1200. The legislation was spearheaded by Republicans: Rep. Jim Pressel (sponsor), Reps. Craig Haggard, Gregory Steuerwald and Timothy Wesco (cosponsors) and five state senators.

“Too many of these illegal drivers have killed innocent people and made our roads less safe,” Pressel said. “Indiana is taking a stand to protect Hoosiers against these dangerous drivers who are exploiting our laws and licensure process.”

Taking effect April 1, HEA 1200 amends Indiana motor vehicle code with a range of measures varying from license plates and speed limits to commercial motor vehicles.

Under the law, all non-domiciled drivers must hold nonimmigrant status visas granted for temporary H-2A (agricultural) or H-2B (non-agricultural) workers or E-2 treaty investor visas for business owners before Indiana will grant a CDL.

“Nearly all of the 1,790 non-domiciled CDL drivers have lost their CDL privileges with the passage of HEA 1200,” Greg Dunn, executive director of communications for the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, told Transport Topics.

Steep Penalties for Drivers, Carriers

New sections of law require:

• CMV drivers to prove their ability to adequately speak English, talk with the public, understand highway traffic signs and signals, respond to officials and make entries in record reports.

• CDL holders to take and pass English-language knowledge and skills exams, or those conducted in American Sign Language, prior to being authorized to operate a CMV.

The law also contains a series of punishments targeting bad actors in the trucking industry.

Anyone who knowingly makes, uses or presents a fake public record as legitimate and represents it as a valid CDL commits a Level 6 felony. This offense is punishable by from six months to 2½ years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

If a driver knowingly holds a CDL not issued by the U.S. and operates a CMV without possessing required entry documents, that person is guilty of a Level 6 felony.

Drivers who commit those felonies also can be fined civil penalties of $5,000. The companies that hired those drivers to operate the CMV at the time of the violation can be fined a $50,000 civil penalty.

Going After CDL Mills

The new law imposes a $50,000 civil penalty for business owners who are aware of having ineligible instructors — those lacking legal CDLs — educate, train or prepare students to operate a CMV. The fines apply to each violation.

Furthermore, businesses are prohibited from providing CDL training when they are “in substantial noncompliance” with applicable federal or state laws for commercial driver training standards. Each violation is subject to a $50,000 fine.

The state attorney general’s office is responsible for enforcement and can collect the civil penalties as well as recover costs for investigation, enforcement and attorney’s fees.

Rokita said, “President Trump called for the revocation of CDLs issued to illegal aliens in his State of the Union address — and Indiana answered the call.”