To permanently extend the exemption from the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing requirement for school bus drivers, and for other purposes.
Sponsor

- Conservative Groups$3,000k
Full profile: /officials/C001051
Source: Congress.gov · FEC
Cosponsors (16)
Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.
- David G. Valadao (R-CA-22)Original· 2025-03-26
- Jason Smith (R-MO-8)Original· 2025-03-26
- Keith Self (R-TX-3)Original· 2025-03-26
- Tom Cole (R-OK-4)Original· 2025-03-26
- Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22)Original· 2025-03-26
- Virginia Foxx (R-NC-5)Original· 2025-03-26
- Darren Soto (D-FL-9)· 2025-04-03
- Eric Burlison (R-MO-7)· 2025-04-03
- Glenn Grothman (R-WI-6)· 2025-05-07
- Timothy M. Kennedy (D-NY-26)· 2025-05-07
- Tracey Mann (R-KS-1)· 2025-06-03
- Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY-3)· 2025-06-04
- Derek Schmidt (R-KS-2)· 2026-04-16
- Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-3)· 2026-04-22
- Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-5)· 2026-04-22
- Robert P. Bresnahan, Jr. (R-PA-8)· 2026-05-07
Latest Action
The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →
Committee Activity
Currently in
- House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureReferred To · 2025-03-26
Previously
- Transportation and Infrastructure CommitteeReferred To · 2025-03-26
Plain-English Summary
This bill directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to permanently allow states to exempt school bus drivers from the “under-the-hood” testing requirement for a commercial driver's license (CDL). As background, on December 2, 2024, the FMCSA renewed an exemption through November 28, 2026, that allows states to exempt all school bus driver applicants for a CDL from the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing requirement, commonly referred to as the under-the-hood testing requirement. States must meet certain terms and conditions for the exemption. Under the bill, the FMCSA must make permanent the December 2, 2024, exemption, thus permanently allowing states to exempt school bus drivers from the under-the-hood testing requirement. States must meet the additional terms and conditions for an exemption, which include (1) restricting school bus drivers who are issued a CDL based on the exemption to the intrastate operation of school buses, and (2) requiring states to conduct the remaining pre-trip vehicle inspection components of the skills test. Further, the FMCSA must require any state participating in the exemption to submit an annual report describing the number of drivers that obtain a CDL under the exemption.
Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.
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