BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Senator Tommy Tuberville is pushing new legislation that would require all commercial driver’s license tests to be given in English only, drawing backlash from civil rights advocates and immigrant groups who say the measure could unfairly target non-English-speaking workers in Alabama’s trucking industry.
Tuberville introduced the Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act of 2025 on Oct. 16 alongside Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee. The bill would force states to conduct CDL testing exclusively in English and allow the U.S. Department of Transportation to suspend states’ authority to issue certain licenses if they fail to comply.
“If you drive a truck in the United States, you should be able to speak English fluently,” Tuberville said in a statement. “This protects our law enforcement officers and the general public. This is not only about safety and efficiency – it’s just commonsense.”
Supporters, including the Alabama Trucking Association, argue the measure would improve highway safety and cut down on fraudulent CDL training programs. But critics across Alabama called it a backward step that echoes policies once used to marginalize minority groups in the state.
“Policies like this aren’t about safety — they’re about exclusion,” said a Birmingham-based immigration advocate who works with Latino truckers. “Thousands of safe, hardworking drivers contribute to Alabama’s economy every day. English-only rules could push them out of the workforce.”
The bill follows what lawmakers said was a fatal Florida highway crash in August involving a driver with limited English proficiency. Tuberville and his co-sponsors say the legislation would ensure all drivers can read road signs and communicate with police.
Immigrant and labor groups noted that Alabama’s trucking sector already faces a severe shortage of qualified drivers, a problem that could worsen if language barriers become employment barriers.
“Truckers from immigrant backgrounds keep our supply chains moving,” said a representative with a Montgomery labor coalition. “Instead of addressing workforce needs, this bill focuses on punishing people for the way they speak.”
A companion version of the bill has been filed in the U.S. House by Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr.
The proposal adds to Tuberville’s history of aligning with right-wing policies that critics say often single out marginalized groups, from his opposition to diversity programs to his past comments on immigration. For many in Alabama, the English-only testing plan feels like a throwback to a less inclusive era — one that echoes the state’s old fights over language and identity rather than its future on the road.
Sources