To amend title 49, United States Code, to grant the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico eligibility to issue commercial driver's licenses, and for other purposes.
This bill would expand eligibility for issuing commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) to the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) and Puerto Rico (PR) by amending the federal CDL framework in Title 49. Specifically, it adds USVI and PR to the group that can issue CDLs under the commercial motor vehicle safety program and directs the federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to collaborate with those territories to achieve full compliance with the CDL safety provisions. It also creates a transitional grace period of five years during which these territories won’t face certain federal funding withholdings for not yet fully meeting specific CDL requirements. A penalty provision clarifies how funds apportioned to USVI would be treated for purposes of penalties under federal motor carrier safety laws.
Key Points
- 1Expands eligibility to issue CDLs to include the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. This changes the definition in the CDL safety framework to recognize these territories as valid issuers of commercial driver licenses.
- 2Adds a transitional five-year grace period during which USVI and PR are not subject to withholding of federal highway funds for failing to meet certain CDL-related requirements (as part of 23 U.S.C. funding apportionment rules).
- 3Requires the FMCSA Administrator to work with USVI and PR to achieve full compliance with the CDL safety program (Chapter 313 of Title 49) and the regulations under it.
- 4Establishes a penalty clarification that funds apportioned to USVI under certain federal provisions must be treated as apportioned to USVI for purposes of penalties under Title 49.
- 5Overall purpose: bring USVI and PR into the federal CDL safety framework, enabling them to issue CDLs and participate in the federal funding and compliance regime with a transition period.