The Dalilah Law

This bill aims to significantly restrict eligibility for commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) by amending federal transportation law. It mandates that states only issue CDLs to individuals who are U.S. citizens , lawful permanent residents , or nonimmigrants holding specific work visas, namely E-2, H-2A, or H-2B visas. This change applies to both initial issuance and renewal of CDLs and other authorizations to operate commercial motor vehicles. The legislation introduces a new lifetime disqualification for operating a commercial motor vehicle without the specified citizenship, residency, or visa status, with limited exceptions. States must implement a comprehensive recertification process for all existing CDL holders within 180 days of the bill's enactment. This process requires verifying the individual's eligible immigration status, English language proficiency, and ensuring all required examinations were passed in English. Any individual failing to meet these recertification requirements or the deadline will have their CDL revoked. To ensure compliance, the bill authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to withhold all federal "covered funding" from states that do not adhere to these new rules. This includes failing to complete recertifications and revocations, issuing new CDLs to ineligible individuals, or administering CDL examinations in any language other than English.