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HB0028 • 2025

Commercial driver's licenses-revisions.

AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; amending grounds for disqualification from driving a commercial motor vehicle for persons under twenty-one (21) years of age; authorizing expunged records to be considered for purposes of disqualification from driving a commercial motor vehicle as specified; adding violations that qualify as serious traffic violations; authorizing the department to waive examinations for a commercial driver's license applicant as specified; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for effective dates.

Children
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Transportation
Last action
2025-03-03
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide specific details about the exact nature of cell phone prohibitions beyond text-based messages and in-hand use, leading to some uncertainty.

Changes to Commercial Driver's Licenses

This law changes rules for commercial driver's licenses, including adding new violations and allowing some expunged records to be considered.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds improper or erratic lane changes as a serious traffic violation.
  • Includes using a cell phone to write, send, or read text-based messages while driving a commercial vehicle as a serious traffic violation.
  • Allows the Department of Transportation to waive knowledge and skills tests for certain CDL applicants.
  • Expunged records of minor driver's license suspensions can now be considered when deciding if someone should lose their right to drive a commercial vehicle.
  • Disqualifies drivers under 21 from driving commercial vehicles for at least one year if they are caught driving under the influence.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want or have commercial driver's licenses
  • Drivers under 21 years old

Terms To Know

Serious traffic violation
A type of driving offense that can lead to losing your right to drive a commercial vehicle.
Expunged records
Records of past offenses that have been removed from public view but may still be considered by certain authorities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify all the details about how expunged records will be used.
  • Some parts of the law take effect immediately, but others start on July 1, 2025.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB0028JC001

Conference Committee

H Adopted, S Adopted

Plain English: This amendment modifies certain provisions of a bill about commercial driver's licenses by adopting some Senate amendments and deleting others.

  • Adopts specific Senate amendments that were previously proposed (HB0028S2001/A and HB0028S3001/A).
  • Deletes another Senate amendment (HB0028S3003/A) from the bill.
  • The exact details of what these amendments change are not provided in the given text, so more information is needed to explain the specific changes made by each adopted and deleted amendment.
HB0028S2001

2nd reading • Senator Pappas

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how disqualification from driving a commercial motor vehicle is determined for people under 21 years old by altering the language that defines what constitutes grounds for disqualification.

  • Adds new wording after 'means' to clarify that certain conditions must be met for disqualification, specifying that only one of several listed reasons can lead to disqualification.
  • The exact nature and content of the specific violations or conditions being referred to are not provided in the amendment text.
  • It is unclear what 'Strike "or"' means without additional context, as it does not specify where this phrase should be removed from.
HB0028S2002

2nd reading • Senator Pearson

Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes specific parts of the bill related to commercial driver's licenses by removing certain lines and making small edits.

  • Removes line 15 on page 1 which contains part of a sentence about creating subparagraphs.
  • Deletes lines 16 through 20 on page 3, which contain specific details about the bill.
  • Modifies line 14 on page 1 by changing references to certain sections of law.
  • The exact content and implications of the deleted text are not provided in the amendment, making it hard to understand what was removed without looking at the original bill text.
  • Some technical legal language is used which may be difficult for a general audience to fully comprehend.
HB0028S3001

3rd reading • Senator Pearson

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the wording related to how a commercial driver's license applicant uses something, replacing 'using' with 'the in-hand use of'.

  • Replaces the word 'using' with 'the in-hand use of' in the bill text.
  • The exact impact and context of this change are unclear due to limited information provided.
HB0028S3002

3rd reading • Senator Pearson

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment adds a condition to an existing rule about using mobile devices while driving commercial vehicles.

  • Adds the requirement that drivers must not hold their mobile device while using it.
  • The exact context and implications of this change are unclear without additional information from the bill text.
HB0028S3003

3rd reading • Senator Rothfuss

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment removes language that allows expunged traffic violation records to be considered when determining if a person under 21 years old can get a commercial driver's license.

  • Removes the phrase 'The expunged records' from the bill text.
  • Deletes lines of text that allowed expunged records to be used in deciding disqualification for driving commercial vehicles.
  • It is unclear what specific details were removed beyond the mentioned phrases, which limits a full understanding of the amendment's impact.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-03 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 91

  2. 2025-03-03 Governor

    Governor Signed HEA No. 0042

  3. 2025-02-27 Senate

    S President Signed HEA No. 0042

  4. 2025-02-27 House

    H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0042

  5. 2025-02-26 LSO

    Assigned Number HEA No. 0042

  6. 2025-02-19 Senate

    S Appointed JCC01 Members

  7. 2025-02-18 House

    H Appointed JCC01 Members

  8. 2025-02-18 House

    H Concur:Failed 2-58-2-0-0

  9. 2025-02-18 House

    H Received for Concurrence

  10. 2025-02-18 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 25-6-0-0-0

  11. 2025-02-14 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  12. 2025-02-13 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  13. 2025-02-13 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  14. 2025-02-13 Senate

    S08 - Transportation:Recommend Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0

  15. 2025-02-10 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S08 - Transportation

  16. 2025-01-27 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  17. 2025-01-27 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-1-1-0-0

  18. 2025-01-24 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  19. 2025-01-23 House

    H COW:Passed

  20. 2025-01-21 House

    H Placed on General File

  21. 2025-01-21 House

    H08 - Transportation:Recommend Do Pass 7-2-0-0-0

  22. 2025-01-15 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H08 - Transportation

  23. 2025-01-02 House

    H Received for Introduction

  24. 2024-12-10 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 25LSO-0211

Bill No.:

HB0028

Effective:

7/1/2025

LSO No.:

25LSO-0211

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0042

Chapter No.:

91

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Commercial driver's licenses-revisions.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Commercial driver's license revisions.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act revises the commercial driver's license (CDL) statutes. This act amends the definition of serious traffic violation to include improper or erratic lane change violations, and violations for using a cell phone to write, send or read a text-based communication or the in-hand use of a handheld cell phone while driving a commercial motor vehicle. The definition is also amended to include references to a commercial driver's license or a commercial learner's permit.

This act authorizes the Department of Transportation to waive the knowledge test, skills test, or both, for CDL applicants who meet specific requirements.

This act allows expunged records of driver's license suspensions for minors to be considered for CDL disqualification purposes.

This act disqualifies a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle for at least one (1) year if convicted of driving under the influence where the person is under the age of twenty-one (21) and the person holds a valid CDL or commercial learner's permit.

This act requires CDL holders who are suspended of fraudulently obtaining a CDL to be disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for a period of one (1) year.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
25LSO-0211

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0028

ENROLLED ACT NO. 42,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session

AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; amending grounds for disqualification from driving a commercial motor vehicle for persons under twenty-one (21) years of age; authorizing expunged records to be considered for purposes of disqualification from driving a commercial motor vehicle as specified; adding violations that qualify as serious traffic violations; authorizing the department to waive examinations for a commercial driver's license applicant as specified; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for effective dates.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
102(a)(xli)(D), (G) through (J) and by creating new subparagraphs (K) and (M), 31
‑
7
‑
114(g), 31
‑
7
‑
120(b) and 31
‑
7
‑
305(a)(viii), by creating a new paragraph (ix), by renumbering (ix) as (x) and (q) are amended to read:

31
‑
7
‑
102.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this act:

(xli)

"Serious traffic violation" means
any one (1) of the following
:

(D)

Improper or e
rratic lane changes;

(G)

Driving a commercial vehicle without obtaining a commercial driver's license
or a commercial learner's permit
;

(H)

Driving a commercial motor vehicle without a commercial driver's license
or a commercial learner's permit
in the driver's possession.
An individual
A person
shall not be guilty of a violation of this subparagraph if the
individual
person
provides proof prior to or at a court or administrative hearing establishing that the
individual
person
held a valid commercial driver's license
or a commercial learner's permit
on the date of the citation;
or

(J)

Driving a commercial motor vehicle without the proper class of commercial driver's license
or commercial learner's permit
or endorsements for the specific vehicle group being operated or for the passengers or type of cargo being transported
;
.

(K)

A violation of state or local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control that prohibits using an electronic wireless communication device to write, send or read text
‑
based communication while driving a commercial motor vehicle;

(M)

A violation of state or local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control that restricts or prohibits the in
‑
hand use of a hand held electronic wireless communication device while driving a commercial motor vehicle.

31
‑
7
‑
114.

Examinations; visual acuity.

(g)

The department may waive the
knowledge test,
skills test
or both,
specified in subsection (e) of this section for a commercial driver license applicant who meets the requirements contained in rules and regulations of the department which shall at a minimum include the requirements designated in rules and regulations of the United States department of transportation.

31
‑
7
‑
120.

Records to be kept by division; exceptions.

(b)

Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section
,
the division shall
,
twelve (12) months after conviction, expunge the record relating to the suspension of a driver's license of a minor pursuant to W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
128(f) for the violation of any law or ordinance relating to the possession or consumption of a controlled substance or alcohol, except a violation of W.S. 31
‑
5
‑
233. For any person whose records of a driver's license suspension were expunged under this subsection, the suspension under this subsection is deemed not to have occurred and the
individual
person
may reply accordingly upon any inquiry in the matter. Notwithstanding W.S. 31
‑
5
‑
1214, records of suspensions under W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
128(f) shall not be made available for public inspection except for inspection by any law enforcement officer or agency. Any driver's license suspension or related records under this subsection shall not be the basis for any increase in insurance premiums or the cancellation of any insurance policy for a minor or his parents affected by this section.
The expunged records relating to the suspension of a driver's license of a minor may be considered for purposes of disqualification from driving a commercial motor vehicle under W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
305.

31
‑
7
‑
305.

Disqualification and cancellation; right to a hearing.

(a)

Any person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for a period of not less than one (1) year if convicted of a first violation arising from separate incidents of:

(viii)

Driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while the alcohol concentration of the person's blood, breath or other bodily substance is eight one
‑
hundredths of one percent (0.08%) or more;
or

(ix)

Driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while the alcohol concentration of the person's blood, breath or other bodily substance is two one
‑
hundredths of one percent (0.02%) or more if the person is under twenty-one (21) years of age and the person holds a valid commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit at the time of the offense; or

(ix)
(x)

Violating any local ordinance or state law in another jurisdiction which is substantially similar to any of the violations listed in this subsection.

(q)

Upon the department receiving credible information that the holder of a commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit is suspected of obtaining the license in a fraudulent manner, the state shall notify the license holder in writing at the address on file that they have thirty (30) days to contact the department and schedule retesting. The notification shall specify what tests must be retaken. If the license holder does not contact the department, does not take the test required or fails any rescheduled test, the license holder shall have his license cancelled
. Once cancelled, the license holder shall be required to reapply to the department to obtain

and shall be disqualified from driving
a commercial
driver's license or commercial learner's permit
motor vehicle for a period of one (1) year
.

Section 2
.

The department of transportation shall promulgate rules as necessary to implement this act.

Section 3.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective July 1, 2025
.

(b)

Sections 2 and 3 of this act are effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

1