HARRISBURG – Sen. Judy Ward (R-30) today announced the Senate approved legislation she introduced to increase penalties for causing unintentional death on the roadway, as well as comprehensive bills aimed at strengthening commercial vehicle safety standards and closing dangerous loopholes in Pennsylvania’s licensing and training systems.
Senate Bill 1286, known as the “Kyle Costrello and Glenn Compton Law”, would increase the penalties associated with unintentional death, including an ungraded misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 and a license suspension of up to two years. The legislation is named after two individuals who lost their lives in traffic accidents, resulting in penalties their families feel were not equal to justice.
“The Kyle Costrello and Glenn Compton Law will close the loophole in our state’s vehicle code that allows people who cause these tragic accidents to face minor penalties, despite the unimaginable loss those accidents cause,” said Ward, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee. “I want to thank my colleagues in the Senate for voting in favor of this bill, which will hopefully help provide some sense of closure for those grieving the loss of their loved ones, and I urge members of the House to do the same.”
The Senate also approved Senate Bills 1294 and 1295, which followed a Senate Transportation Committee fact-finding hearing exposing alarming gaps in current laws, including instances where individuals without proper training or English proficiency have operated heavy commercial vehicles on U.S. highways.
Under federal law, states must issue nondomiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to lawfully present drivers authorized to work temporarily in the U.S. However, the committee’s hearing revealed that current training and oversight systems lack cohesion and standardization, allowing unqualified training providers — known as CDL mills — to operate recklessly and endanger public safety.
“Whenever someone steps behind the wheel and drives on Pennsylvania’s roads, they need to know their safety and the safety of their passengers is secure,” said Ward. “In passing these pieces of legislation, we are giving drivers peace of mind that we are holding bad actors accountable and maintaining the highest standards of road safety across our commonwealth.”
Senate Bill 1294 will end CDL mills by empowering the Pennsylvania Department of Education to enforce stronger penalties against illegitimate CDL training providers.
Senate Bill 1295 will require English proficiency for all CDL testing, ensuring these drivers can safely operate 80,000-pound commercial vehicles on public highways. While CDL manuals will remain available in multiple languages, all testing will be conducted in English.
Recent reports have highlighted cases where criminal illegal migrants obtained CDLs without meeting federal requirements, resulting in serious accidents. One was a fatal crash in the state of Indiana involving a Pennsylvania-issued, non-domiciled CDL held by a citizen of Kyrgyzstan.
All of the bills will now be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Residents can follow Ward on Facebook and X (Twitter) @SenatorJWard for news about legislation and the 30th Senate District. Contact information for her district offices and other information can be found on her website at SenatorJudyWard.com, and constituents also can sign up for her e-newsletter.
WARD CONTACT: Nathan Akers, 717-787-2421