B 26-0554 Legislature · 26th Council Period (2025-2026)

Commercial Driver’s License Amendment Act of 2025

This bill updates Washington, D.C.'s laws governing commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) to align with current federal regulations. It replaces outdated references to the 1986 federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act with current federal codes (like 49 U.S.C. § 31309) and revises disqualification rules to match federal standards (49 C.F.R. § 383.51, etc.), such as for certain convictions or license fraud. These changes ensure D.C. maintains its ability to issue CDLs without federal penalties. The bill directly affects commercial drivers in D.C. who hold or apply for CDLs by updating the legal basis for disqualifications. It repeals outdated local disqualification rules, making D.C. law consistent with federal requirements.
Bill status in committee 3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Jul 2026
Council Passage
Jul 2026
Governor
Introduced Dec 19, 2025 Last action Jul 14, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduction → Engrossment · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was updated to align DC commercial driver license laws with current federal statutes, specifically changing the year in the bill title from 2025 to 2026 and correcting the effective year of the act. The text was reformatted from a cover letter to a standard legislative bill structure, and the disqualification criteria were slightly clarified to include falsifying information required to obtain a license.
Scope change
The bill's substantive scope regarding commercial driver disqualification remains largely the same, but the title and citation year were updated to reflect the current legislative session.
TECHNICAL

The bill title was changed from 'Commercial Driver License Amendment Act of 2025' to 'Commercial Driver License Amendment Act of 2026'.

The effective date section was updated to cite the act as effective in 2026 rather than 2025.

The cover letter, memo from the Chief Financial Officer, and page numbering artifacts were removed.

DEFINITION

The definition of falsified information in the disqualification section was expanded to explicitly include 'any other material or information required to obtain a commercial driver's license.'

Floor votes · Council Jul 14, 2026

How they voted

12–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 13
Jul 14, 2026
D Democratic11
10 Yea 1
90% Yea
I Independent2
2 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
6
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Jul 14, 2026
Council · Passed
Council Vote: pass (12-0-1)
council
Jul 8, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Committee Mark-up of B26-0554 by the Transportation and the Environment Committee
legislature
Jan 6, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation and the Environment
legislature
Dec 19, 2025
Introduced
B26-0554 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary
legislature
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Phil Mendelson
Phil Mendelson
DDemocratic
DC
Chairman