IndianaIndiana requires language skills and tests for commercial drivers
Commercial drivers must meet language and exam rules, while false license claims and certain driver training violations carry fines.
What it does
Commercial drivers must use enough English to communicate with the public, understand road signs, answer officials, and complete records. They must pass exams in English or American Sign Language.
Knowingly passing off a false record as a commercial license, or driving while knowingly holding a foreign-issued commercial license without required entry papers, carries a felony and a $5,000 fine. The business that hired the person to drive that vehicle faces $50,000; training businesses face $50,000 per violation for training someone they knew or should have known was ineligible, or substantially breaking training rules.
The bureau must revoke these commercial licenses if holders lose the legal status or papers required when licensed. Licenses issued before March 1, 2026, to foreign-country residents without H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 immigration status expired April 1, 2026.
Ads for marijuana products or Schedule I drugs, including ads under older contracts, must be removed from public view by October 1, 2026.
Indiana’s transportation department may not use variable speed limits or electronic signs that change speed limits. Counties may not set aside money from two state road accounts for projects chosen by one member of the county’s budget-setting body.
Argument forFelony charges and fines could discourage people from passing off false records as valid commercial licenses.
Argument againstDrivers who cannot meet the English rule could be barred from commercial driving even if they pass the skills exam in American Sign Language.
More detail
Commercial drivers must show enough English ability for the listed tasks. The rules apply to people operating commercial vehicles. Drivers must pass both the knowledge exam and the skills exam in English or American Sign Language. These rules take effect upon passage.
Indiana imposes felony and civil penalties for the specified license offenses, and civil fines for specified driver training violations. The license offenses carry a $5,000 civil fine for the person. The business that hired the person to drive the vehicle used during the violation faces a $50,000 fine. Training businesses face $50,000 per violation. The person must knowingly pass off a false public record as a genuine commercial license, or knowingly hold a foreign-issued commercial license while driving without required entry papers. A training business faces a fine if it trains someone it knew or should have known was ineligible for a commercial license, or substantially breaks driver training standards. These penalties take effect upon passage.
The motor vehicle bureau must revoke a covered commercial license when its holder loses required legal status or papers. These commercial licenses are issued to people living in another state or a foreign country. The lost status or papers must have been required when the license was granted. The April expiration covers foreign-country residents without H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 immigration status. Revocation takes effect 15 days after notice is mailed or when a state review ends, whichever comes first.
People advertising covered products must remove ads from public view. It applies to people advertising covered products through any medium. The rule covers ads for products containing marijuana or drugs listed in Schedule I, including ads under contracts signed or renewed before the 2025 advertising law took effect. The repeal and advertising provision take effect upon passage. The removal deadline is October 1, 2026.
The state transportation department may not use variable speed limits or electronic variable speed signs. Counties may not assign road projects funded by specified state accounts to one member of their budget-setting body to select. The speed rule covers the Indiana transportation department. The funding rule covers money counties receive from the motor vehicle highway account or the local road and street account. The speed rule takes effect upon passage. The county funding rule takes effect July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 12Signed by the Governor Mike BraunBecame Law
- Mar 12Public Law 156Major
- Mar 5Signed by the President Pro TemporeMajor
- Mar 2Signed by the President of the SenateMajor
- Feb 27CCR # 1 filed in the HouseMinor
- Vote recorded HB 1200 - Pressel. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded HB 1200 - Crider. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 27Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 414: yeas 92, nays 3
- Feb 27Signed by the SpeakerMajor
- Feb 27CCR # 1 filed in the SenateMinor
- Feb 27Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 319: yeas 49, nays 1
- Feb 25House advisors appointed: Wesco, Heine, Dant Chesser, Harris
- Feb 25Senate conferees appointed: Crider, Spencer
- Feb 25Senate advisors appointed: Holdman, Ford J.D., Charbonneau
- Feb 25House dissented from Senate amendments
- Feb 25Representatives Steuerwald, Haggard added as coauthors
- Feb 25Motion to dissent filedMinor
- Feb 25House conferees appointed: Pressel, Hamilton
- Feb 24Third reading: passed; Roll Call 241: yeas 48, nays 0Passed Senate
- Vote recorded HB 1200 - Crider - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 24Returned to the House with amendmentsMinor
- Feb 23Senator Brown L added as cosponsor
- Vote recorded HB 1200 - Crider - 2nd Reading. Result: fail.Upper
- Feb 23Senator Rogers added as cosponsor
- Feb 23Senator Charbonneau added as third sponsor
- Feb 23Senator Holdman added as second sponsor
- Feb 23Amendment #4 (Crider) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #2 (Crider) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #3 (Crider) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Second reading: amended, ordered engrossedMinor
- Feb 23Amendment #9 (Tomes) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #12 (Young M) failed; Roll Call 211: yeas 5, nays 42Major
- Feb 23Amendment #8 (Freeman) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #6 (Freeman) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #10 (Freeman) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #5 (Young M) failed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #14 (Ford J.D.) failed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 17Committee report: amend do pass, adoptedMinor
- Feb 5First reading: referred to Committee on Homeland Security and TransportationMinor
- Feb 3Referred to the SenateMinor
- Feb 2Third reading: passed; Roll Call 183: yeas 90, nays 3Passed House
- Vote recorded HB 1200 - Pressel - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 2Senate sponsor: Senator Crider
- Feb 2Representative Wesco added as coauthor
- Jan 29Second reading: amended, ordered engrossedMinor
- Jan 29Amendment #1 (Pressel) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Jan 27Committee report: amend do pass, adoptedMinor
- Jan 5Authored by Representative Pressel
- Jan 5First reading: referred to Committee on Roads and TransportationIntroduced
TransportationPublic SafetyCriminal Justice