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MURIELBOWSERMAYOR
December19,2025
‘TheHonorablePhilMendelson
ChairmanCounciloftheDistrictofColumbia1350PennsylvaniaAve.,NW,Suite506
Washington,D.C.20004
DearChairmanMendelson:
Enclosedforconsiderationand approvalby theCouncilof theDistrictof Columbiaisthe
“CommercialDriverLicenseAmendmentActof2025”.
InallU.S.jurisdictions,issuanceandmaintenanceofcommercialdriverlicensesarecontrolledbyfederalstatutesandregulations.Failureofa jurisdictiontomaintaincompliancewiththefederalrequirementscouldresultinlosingitsabilitytoissueCDLs.Thepurposeof
thelegislationistoupdatetheapplicableDC statutespertainingtothedefinitionofcommercialmotorvehicleandwhateventstriggerdisqualificationtooperateacommercial
motorvehicletoensurecompliancewithfederallawatpresentandinthefuture.Inaddition,thelegislationwillamendtwoapplicablestatutespertainingtothedefinitionofacommercialvehicleandrepealtheregulationwhichpresentlysetsforththecurrentactivitiesthatwillresultinadisqualification,sinceitwillbecomesuperfluousandunnecessary.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsonthismatter,pleasecontactGabrielRobinson,Director,DepartmentofMotorVehiclesat(202)727-2200orviaemailatgabriel.robinson@dc.gov.
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2 airman Phil Mendelson
3 at the request of the Mayor
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7 A BILL
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11 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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15 To amend the Uniform Classification and Commercial Driver's License Act of 1990 by updating
16 several references to the U.S. Code regarding the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act
1 7 and modifying the standards for disqualification of a person from operation of a motor
18 vehicle.
19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
20 act may be cited as the "Commercial Driver's License Amendment Act of 2025".
21 Sec. 2. The Uniform Classification and Commercial Driver's License Act of 1990,
22 effective September 20, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-161; D.C. Official Code§ 50-401 et seq.), is amended
23 as follows:
24 (a) Section 2(2) (D.C. Official Code§ 50-401(2)) is amended by striking the phrase "the
25 Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, approved October 27, 1986 (100 Stat. 3207; 49
26 U.S.C. sec. 2701 et seq.) ("Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act")," and inserting the phrase
27 "49 U.S.C. § 31309" in its place.
28 (b) Section 3 (D.C. Official Code § 50-402) is amended as follows:
29 (1) Paragraph (1) is amended by striking the phrase "section 12005(a) of the
30 Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 U.S.C. sec. 2704(a))" and inserting the phrase "49
31 U.S .C . § 31305" in its place.
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(2) Paragraph (7) is amended by striking the phrase “section 12007 of the 32
Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 U.S.C. sec. 2706)” and inserting the phrase “49 33
U.S.C. § 31309” in its place. 34
(3) Paragraph (8) is amended by striking the phrase “section 12007 of the 35
Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 U.S.C. sec. 2708)” and inserting the phrase “49 36
U.S.C. § 31311” in its place. 37
(c) Section 7 (D.C. Official Code § 50-406) is amended to read as follows: 38
“Sec. 7. Disqualification. 39
“The Mayor shall disqualify a person from the operation of a commercial motor vehicle 40
if: 41
“(1) The person has been convicted of an offense specified in 49 C.F.R. § 383.51, 42
and the person shall be disqualified for the time period set forth therein; 43
“(2) The person’s driving has been determined to constitute an imminent hazard, 44
as specified in 49 C.F.R. § 383.52(a), and the person shall be disqualified for a time period not to 45
exceed the time periods set forth in 49 C.F.R. § 383.52(b) and (c); 46
“(3) The person falsified information specified in 49 C.F.R. § 383.73(j), and the 47
person shall be disqualified for at least the minimum time period set forth therein; or 48
“(4) The person has been convicted of fraud related to the issuance of a 49
commercial driver’s license or commercial learner’s permit, or has failed to timely take a 50
knowledge or skills retest or fails a knowledge or skills retest after suspected fraud, as provided 51
in 49 C.F.R. § 383.73(k), and the person shall be disqualified for the time period set forth 52
therein.” 53
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 54
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The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 55
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 56
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 57
Sec. 4. Effective date. 58
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 59
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of Congressional review as 60
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 61
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 62
Columbia Register. 63
Government of the District of Columbia
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Glen Lee
Chief Financial Officer
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20004 (202)727 -2476
www.cfo.dc.gov
MEMORANDUM
TO: The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman, Council of the District of Columbia
FROM: Glen Lee
Chief Financial Officer
DATE: November 25, 2025
SUBJECT: Fiscal Impact Statement – Commercial Driver’s License Amendment Act
of 2025
REFERENCE: Draft Bill as provided to the Office of Revenue Analysis on November 5,
2025
Conclusion
Funds are sufficient in the fiscal year 2026 through fiscal year 2029 budget and financial plan to
implement the bill.
Background
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) registers commercial motor vehicles, issues commercial
driver’s licenses (CDL) of various classes, and requires the operator of a commercial motor vehicle
to hold a CDL.1 DMV regulates the operation of commercial motor vehicles and CDLs, including when
a CDL holder should be disqualified from holding the CDL for a defined period or indefinitely. DMV’s
laws and regulations around commercial motor vehicles and their operator s are consistent with
federal laws and regulations.
The bill updates statutory references to federal laws around commercial motor vehicles to be
consistent with the prevailing federal codes and regulations.2 The bill also repeals the District’s CDL
disqualification parameters and aligns them with federal disqualification criteria.3
1 Uniform Classification and Commercial Driver’s License Act of 1990, effective September 20, 1990 (D.C. Law
8-161; D.C. Official Code § 50-401 et seq.).
2 49 C.F.R. §§ 31309 and 31311.
3 49 C.F.R. §§ 383.51, 383.52, 383.73(j), and 383.73(k).
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
FIS: “Commercial Driver’s License Amendment Act of 2025,” Draft Bill as provided to the Office of Revenue
Analysis on November 5, 2025
Page 2 of 2
Financial Plan Impact
Funds are sufficient in the fiscal year 2026 through fiscal year 2029 budget and financial plan to
implement the bill. DMV can implement the bill’s changes within the agency’s existing budgeted
resources. The bill’s changes ensure that District laws will be consistent with federal statutes and
regulations whenever those change, without having to further change District laws.
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 409, Washington, D.C. 20004
Phone (202) 262-6402 Email: adele.el-khouri@dc.gov
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
BRIAN L. SCHWALB PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY GENERAL ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION
LEGAL COUNSEL DIVISION
MEMORANDUM
TO: Pamela B. Washington
General Counsel
Department of Motor Vehicles
FROM: Adele El-Khouri
Deputy Attorney General
Legal Counsel Division
DATE: November 13, 2025
SUBJECT: Legal Sufficiency Review of Draft Legislation, the “Commercial Driver’s License
Amendment Act of 2025”
(AE-23-127-C)
___________________________________________________________________________________
This memorandum responds to your request that t he Office of the Attorney General conduct a legal
sufficiency review of the above-referenced legislation.
The bill amends the Uniform Classification and Commercial Driver's License Act of 1990 (“CDL Act”) to
replace outdated references to the federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 with updated
citations to the U.S. Code throughout. It also amends section 7 of the CDL Act (D.C. Official Code § 50-
406) to replace the specified offenses resulting in disqualification with references to the controlling
provisions in the Code of Federal Regulations.
The legislation is legally sufficient. I have attached a certificate of legal sufficiency for your use. You should
enclose the attached certificate, the Mayor’s transmittal letter, and a fiscal impact statement prepared by the
Office of the Chief Financial Officer when you forward your legislative package to the Office of Policy and
Legislative Affairs. The attached certificate only applies to the draft of the legislation we reviewed. If you
make substantive changes to the draft, you should send it back to us for a new legal sufficiency review. If
you have any questions regarding this memorandum, please conta ct Matt James , Assistant Attorney
General, Legal Counsel Division, at (202) 724-5558, or me at (202) 262-6402.
AME/mdj
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GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
BRIAN L. SCHWALB PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY GENERAL ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION
LEGAL COUNSEL DIVISION
MEMORANDUM
TO: Tomás Talamante
Director
Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs
FROM: Adele El-Khouri
Deputy Attorney General
Legal Counsel Division
DATE: November 13, 2025
SUBJECT: Legal Sufficiency Review of Draft Legislation, the “Commercial Driver’s License
Amendment Act of 2025”
(AE-23-127-C)
__________________________________________________________________________________
This is to Certify that the Office of the Attorney General has reviewed the
above-referenced legislation and found it to be legally sufficient. If you have any questions in this
regard, please do not hesitate to call me at (202) 262-6402.
_________________________________
Adele El-Khouri