SB1511

THE CONTEXT: Under current law, a nondomiciled commercial driver license is a CDL issued to a person domiciled in a foreign country, or to a person domiciled in another state, that is prohibited from issuing CDLs. The Arizona Department of Transportation may issue a nondomiciled class A, B or C CDL to a resident of another jurisdiction in specified circumstances ( A.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would make it unlawful for a person who is issued a nondomiciled CDL to operate a CMV in Arizona unless the person can provide evidence of lawful immigration status or lawful presence, authorize a law enforcement officer to request evidence of immigration status from a person operating a CMV with a nondomiciled CDL, and requires, if the person fails to provide the requested evidence, the law enforcement officer or the officer s agency to: a; impose a civil traffic penalty of up to $500; b; issue a citation; and c; report the violation to the jurisdiction that issued the person s CDL and to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to make the public-safety rule for nondomiciled commercial drivers license clearer and more usable. It would make it unlawful for a person who is issued a nondomiciled CDL to operate a CMV in Arizona unless the person can provide evidence of lawful immigration status or lawful presence, and would also authorize a law enforcement officer to request evidence of immigration status from a person operating a CMV with a nondomiciled CDL, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.