Legislation moving through the Oklahoma House tightens citizenship and language requirements for drivers of commercial vehicles.
On April 24, Rep. Jonathan Wilk’s Senate Bill 20, or the “Oklahoma Secure Roads and Safe Trucking Act of 2025,” advanced through an Oklahoma House committee. You can track the progress of the bill here.
The bill includes several provisions restricting commercial vehicle driving based on language proficiency and citizenship.
English Language Requirements
SB20 would require that any operator of a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma must be able to demonstrate sufficient proficiency of the English language to:
- 1. Converse with the general public.
- 2. Understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language.
- 3. Respond to official inquiries.
- 4. Make entries on reports and records.
The bill directs law enforcement to impound and tow the vehicle if a commercial vehicle operator is unable to demonstrate English language proficiency.
CDL Requirements
SB20 would also require that commercial vehicle operators in Oklahoma possess a valid commercial driver license issued by a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a valid commercial driver license issued by a state, territory, district, or province of Canada or Mexico, and a valid work visa.
Drivers would be required to carry a physical copy of their license, and proof of citizenship of the country that issued the license.
B-1/B-2 Visa Holders Restricted
SB20 forbids the holder of a B-1, B-2, or B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant visitor visa from operating a commercial motor vehicle within Oklahoma. Officers are directed to impound and tow the vehicles of drivers found to be operating under one of these visas under the text of the bill. Violators are subject to an administrative fine not to exceed $2,000.
The bill would also forbid U.S. motor carriers from employing or contracting with B-1 or B-2 visa holders for operation in the state of Oklahoma. Carriers who violate this provision would be subject to an administrative fine of no more than $5,000.
Detractors of SB20 have criticized the legislation in part because the original text of the bill dealt with the on-road use of golf carts and utility vehicles, with the CDL and language provisions added as amendments later, Oklahoma Voice reports. Lawmakers have also argued the bill is bad for Oklahoma businesses and could cause trucking companies to drive around rather than through the state.
Oklahoma is not the only state cracking down on language requirements and non-citizen commercial vehicle drivers. Arkansas Act 604 was signed into law on April 14, 2025, requiring English language proficiency for commercial vehicle drivers, making it a crime to present a fake CDL, and requiring U.S. work authorization for truck drivers operating with a valid foreign-issued CDL.
It should be noted that while the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does require commercial vehicle drivers to possess English proficiency so that they can read signs and communicate with the public and law enforcement, a 2016 FMCSA-issued memorandum removed the requirement to place drivers out of service for English Language Proficiency (ELP) violations and changed the standards for determining non-compliance with ELP rules.
