Congress is taking another swing at trucking enforcement, and this one comes with some very large numbers attached.

Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, introduced Barron’s Law on Sept. 28, a bill that would require standardized English-proficiency testing for CDL applicants, tighten work-authorization requirements, crack down on chameleon carriers, and dramatically increase penalties for illegal cabotage.

The bill is named for Barron Ritchey, an 8-year-old Texas boy who was killed in 2023 when a wheel hub and dual tires separated from a tractor-trailer and struck the SUV he was riding in. According to Gill’s office, the driver involved had overstayed his B-1 visa by roughly six months.

English testing moves to the licensing counter

Federal regulations already require interstate commercial drivers to be able to read and speak English well enough to understand road signs, communicate with officials, and complete required records. FMCSA has also stepped up roadside enforcement, with drivers who fail English-language assessments potentially being placed out of service.

Barron’s Law would take that a step further by making an FMCSA-approved standardized English test a requirement for obtaining or renewing a CDL. Applicants would have to demonstrate that they can understand road signs and safety instructions, respond to spoken directions and emergency communications, and complete required logs and reports.

The proposal would also require CDL applicants to be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or otherwise federally authorized to work in a job involving commercial vehicle operation. CDL records would include an indicator confirming that eligibility, though the underlying immigration documents would not be stored in the record.

Carriers would have more skin in the game

Under the proposal, carriers that knowingly employ or contract with an ineligible driver could face civil penalties of at least $25,000 per violation. If that conduct results in serious injury or death, the minimum penalty would rise to $100,000.

The bill would also strengthen enforcement against so-called chameleon carriers, companies that reappear under new names or affiliated entities after losing their operating authority or facing enforcement action.

DOT could deny registration to certain carriers tied to a company whose authority had been revoked within the previous three years, while intentionally hiding those relationships could bring fines of up to $25,000, up to a year in prison, or both.

Cabotage violations could get very expensive, very quickly

Foreign-domiciled carriers generally may haul international freight into the U.S., but they cannot simply begin moving domestic point-to-point loads once they’re here. Barron’s Law would impose penalties of up to $100,000 per vehicle, per day for knowing violations of those cabotage restrictions.

The proposal would also create a pilot program using GPS, electronic logging device data, and geofencing at major land ports of entry to identify foreign carriers suspected of making illegal domestic moves after crossing the border. Exactly which ports would participate, how the data would be collected, and how long it would be retained have not yet been detailed publicly.