Governor Mike Braun announces plan to strengthen commercial driver licensing and roadway safety

State officials say recent fatal crashes involving large commercial trucks have intensified scrutiny. According to leaders, multiple deadly incidents in the past month have involved drivers described as illegal immigrants operating commercial vehicles, raising concerns about licensing compliance and roadway safety.

Proposed Legislative Changes and Enforcement Measures

A Senate amendment to House Bill 1200, being offered by Michael Crider, seeks to strengthen the commercial driver’s license process and expand enforcement tools. The proposed amendment would enable Indiana to revoke CDLs issued to individuals without lawful status and establish new penalties targeting unlicensed drivers and companies that employ them.

“As the Crossroads of America, Indiana must do all we can to ensure our roads are safe,” Gov. Braun said. “In addition to strengthening our CDL licensing process, Indiana will revoke the CDLs of drivers who are illegal immigrants and penalize companies who employ them. Through strong enforcement we will keep our roads and highways safe.”

Attorney General Rokita emphasized the public safety rationale behind the proposal.

“We’ve seen horrible accidents on our roads—terrible tragedies that ended in fatalities—all caused by illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles they had no business operating,” Rokita said. “Although the state already has the power to revoke a license for a public safety risk, we have worked directly with legislators and the governor on proposed statutory language to make license revocation mandatory in cases of illegal aliens, since the federal government has already determined these aliens pose serious public safety risks.”

Rep. Pressel said the amendment would also strengthen requirements ensuring commercial drivers can understand traffic signs and law enforcement instructions.

“Keeping Hoosiers safe on our roadways is a top priority,” Pressel said. “This amendment ensures everyone receiving a license to drive commercial trucks can read and understand our traffic signs and law enforcement safety instructions with proficiency, revokes CDLs issued without the proficiency proven and cracks down on drivers still operating without a valid CDL.”

The proposal includes new penalties, including a Level 6 felony charge and a $5,000 fine for unlicensed drivers, along with fines of up to $50,000 for trucking companies that employ them.

Enforcement Efforts and Prior Operations

Officials pointed to recent enforcement actions as evidence of the issue’s scope. Last fall, Gov. Braun joined Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, to announce Operation Midway Blitz, a 287(g) enforcement effort conducted with Indiana State Police. The operation resulted in 223 arrests on highways near the Illinois state line, including 146 truck drivers.

In addition, the state recently completed an audit of non-domiciled CDLs in coordination with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. As a result, officials say Indiana is in the process of removing hundreds of improperly licensed drivers from the road.

State leaders say Indiana’s role as a major transportation hub makes roadway safety a top priority. The proposed measures aim to strengthen licensing oversight, enhance enforcement authority, and hold companies accountable for compliance.

If adopted, the amendment would make Indiana one of the first states to implement penalties targeting both unlicensed commercial drivers and the companies that employ them, reflecting a broader effort to improve safety and accountability across the trucking industry.