SB164

The amendment STRENGTHENS the bill's English proficiency requirement by adding a specific statutory provision explicitly requiring commercial driver license applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English under 49 C.F.R. § 391.11 (January 1, 2026), rather than relying on general federal standards. The change also updates the bill's regulatory references to January 1, 2026 versions of federal codes and reorganizes the statutory structure to create clearer requirements for commercial learner's permits and licenses.

The amendment significantly **gutted and rewrote** the bill, replacing the entire existing § 32-12A-11 commercial driver license requirements with streamlined provisions that reference current federal regulations (January 1, 2026 versions) instead of outdated September 30, 2019 versions, and it explicitly adds an English language proficiency requirement tied to federal standards rather than leaving that requirement implicit. This change **narrows** the bill's scope from a comprehensive rewrite of licensing procedures to a more focused update of federal reference dates plus clarification of the English proficiency mandate.