CDL legislation faces uncertain path forward

Legislative Update: Passage for Dalilah’s Law appears unlikely

Dalilah’s Law (HR5688), a bill that aims to prohibit undocumented immigrants from obtaining commercial driver’s licences (CDLs), advanced out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on a strict party line vote, with Democratic opposition focused on its exclusion of DACA holders.

While the bill is now eligible for House floor consideration, the narrow Republican House majority and limited floor time ahead of the November elections make passage uncertain. Given existing FMCSA regulatory changes addressing the same issue, congressional calendar constraints, the need for 60 votes to get through the Senate and broader political dynamics, passage this Congressional session appears unlikely.

Any impacts related to nondomiciled CDL restrictions are more likely to materialise gradually through the five-year CDL renewal process established by FMCSA, rather than through new legislation. Notably, commonly cited estimates of affected CDL holders apply across all CDL categories, with a much smaller impact expected in the over-the-road, for hire market.

The bill also includes provisions barring foreign based freight brokers and dispatch services (with exceptions for Canada and Mexico). These provisions would not affect US based-brokers operations.

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