# Alabama SB242: Commercial driver licenses; possession of United States work authorization for certain commercial driver license holders required, proficiency in the English language for commercial motor vehicle required, procedures for impoundment provided for, offense of presenting a false foreign commercial driver license established, offense of operating a commercial motor vehicle without proper documentation established, penalties provided for Alabama SB242, Commercial driver licenses; possession of United States work authorization for certain commercial driver license holders required, proficiency in the English language for commercial motor vehicle required, procedures for impoundment provided for, offense of presenting a false foreign commercial driver license established, offense of operating a commercial motor vehicle without proper documentation established, penalties provided for, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Lance Bell (Republican); status enacted, last action 2026-03-11 (Enacted); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB242-2026rs - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Alabama SB242 - State: Alabama - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Commercial driver licenses; possession of United States work authorization for certain commercial driver license holders required, proficiency in the English language for commercial motor vehicle required, procedures for impoundment provided for, offense of presenting a false foreign commercial driver license established, offense of operating a commercial motor vehicle without proper documentation established, penalties provided for - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-03 - Last action: 2026-03-11, Enacted - Sponsor: Lance Bell (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Motor Vehicles & Traffic - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 6 (356 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New safeguards against false foreign licenses: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, Alabama creates a Class D felony for knowingly making, presenting, or using false public documents as foreign commercial driving credentials. The person must represent the document as a valid foreign-government commercial license or learner permit. The person must also kn… - Foreign-licensed drivers face missing-document penalties: cost, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, knowingly driving a commercial vehicle with a valid foreign commercial license without carrying required entry documents is a Class D felony. These are the documents required by 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(b)(4). The offense becomes a Class A misdemeanor if the driver proves it is m… - Commercial drivers face English proficiency penalties: cost, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Alabama commercial drivers must read and speak English well enough to meet 49 C.F.R. § 391.11. Failure to demonstrate that proficiency is a traffic violation. First-violation fines can reach $1,000 for the driver and $2,000 for the carrier. The vehicle is impounded on a f… - Tighter license rules for commercial drivers: cost, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Alabama requires commercial drivers to hold a qualifying commercial license or learner permit meeting federal standards. Credentials from U.S. states, territories, possessions, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico qualify. Canadian, Mexican, and other foreign credent… - Commercial vehicle owners pay impoundment fees: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, officers must send vehicles impounded under the English-proficiency rules to an approved towing service. That service takes the vehicle to a garage, storage lot, or another safe place and keeps custody. The registered owner or authorized agent must pay all reasonable and… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Lance Bell (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-05 | House | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 760 | pass | 84 | 0 | 21 | | 2026-03-05 | Senate | Gudger Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 729 | pass | 32 | 0 | | | 2026-03-05 | House | Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 759 | pass | 85 | 0 | 18 | | 2026-03-05 | House | Third Reading in Second House | pass | 87 | 0 | 18 | | 2026-02-17 | Senate | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 434 | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-02-17 | Senate | Third Reading in House of Origin | pass | 34 | 0 | | ## Actions (20) - 2026-03-11: Enacted (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Third Reading in Second House (House) - 2026-03-05: Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure Engrossed Substitute Offered (House) - 2026-03-05: Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 759 (House) - 2026-03-05: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 760 (House) - 2026-03-05: Gudger Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 729 (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Ready to Enroll (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Signature Requested (House) - 2026-03-05: Delivered to Governor (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Reported Out of Committee Second House (House) - 2026-02-25: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (House) - 2026-02-17: Third Reading in House of Origin (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 434 (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure (House) - 2026-02-17: Pending Committee Action in Second House (House) - 2026-02-12: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Reported Out of Committee House of Origin (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Senate) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB242-int.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB242-enr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for misuse of personal voter information; created (enacted) - SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026 (enacted) - SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require indigent candidates to submit documentation for fee exemption (enacted) - HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for violations provided for (enacted) - SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitation purposes prohibited; redaction of certain information relating to financial tr… (enacted) - SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular (enacted) ## Sources - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB242-int.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB242-enr.pdf) ## Related - [HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB67-2026rs) - [SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB154-2026rs) - [SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require in…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB165-2026rs) - [HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for vio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB317-2026rs) - [SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitatio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB272-2026rs) - [SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB190-2026rs) - [Alabama bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama/bills) - [Alabama state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB242-2026rs (as of 2026-10-16).