The move comes after pushback from the Trump administration of illegal immigrants holding licenses.
Two GOP lawmakers are preparing legislation to mandate an English-proficiency exam as part of driver’s license tests, according to officials. The bill would also eliminate PennDOT’s current options of other languages for written exams. On Tuesday, a memo from the bill’s co-sponsors Marla Brown (R-Lawrence) and Joe Hamm (R-Lycoming) cited a recent influx of immigrants to the state who lacked basic English skills and posed a hazard to other drivers. The bill would apply to all new drivers but would not impact licensed citizens seeking to renew.
“A mass influx of immigrants in the United States lack the ability or desire to learn and effectively speak or recognize the English language. This is a major safety concern,” Reps. Brown and Hamm said in the memo. “We cannot allow drivers who do not understand the English language to obtain a driver’s license within Pennsylvania; it is simply too dangerous.” They also noted an exemption for American Sign Language (ASL) users or those with documented disabilities.
Included in the legislation are several areas of significant change to current PennDOT rules and regulations. In addition to mandating a written English-proficiency exam and a behind-the-wheel exam conducted only in English, the bill adds a mandate for PennDOT to publish next year’s driving manuals without the existing versions in foreign languages. Additionally, the CDL exam would be conducted only in English and results given only in English. Reps. Brown and Hamm added that any interpreters not actively assisting ASL users would be banned from testing areas.
The move for heightened security at driver’s testing facilities comes during scrutiny from the Trump administration after a string of illegal immigrants in Pennsylvania were caught with licenses. In one case, an undocumented truck driver from Uzbekistan illegally left the state before ICE apprehended him on terrorism charges. The driver had social media posts from 2022 celebrating Jihad terrorist groups and calling for enhanced recruitment efforts in the United States. The driver had previously been arrested and released during the Biden administration.
On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee opened an investigation to review the state’s regulations. Chair Judy Ward (R-30) said during a public hearing she was “deeply concerned” over reports the state had issued CDLs and REAL IDs to illegal immigrants. Sen. Ward cited testimony that confirmed PennDOT had issued a license to several undocumented immigrants who were then arrested by ICE.
“This fact-finding hearing will help us to get to the root cause of this issue and develop policy changes to prevent it from happening in the future. Unlike other states, Pennsylvania has long-standing laws banning driver’s licenses, both regular and commercial, for anyone who is unlawfully present in this commonwealth,” Ward said.
Reps. Brown and Hamm urged fellow lawmakers not to ignore the alleged changes to the difficulty of obtaining a driver’s license in Pennsylvania. While the bill has not yet formally been introduced in the House, they argued its purpose was to “ensure that all Pennsylvania drivers can reliably and responsibly understand the rules of the road.”
