A bill backed by Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and introduced in both houses of the state's legislature would require all pre-CDL tests and instruction be conducted in English and would make any company that hires "illegal aliens" pay "out-of-pocket for any injuries."
Five months ago, a triple-fatal crash following non-citizen driver Harjinder Singh's illegal U-turn on Florida's turnpike system ignited a national media firestorm and fueled the U.S. Department of Transportation's crackdown on CDLs for non-citizens.
Now, the state has responded with a new bill that would increase liabilities for any company that hires illegal aliens, as well as remove such a worker's protections and minimize their ability to move money.
The legislation, known as House Bill 1307 or Senate Bill 1380, would do the following:
“We must continue the fight against illegal immigration and put an end to the harm that has come to law-abiding citizens at the hands of illegal immigrants who should have never been in our country in the first place," CFO Ingoglia said. "With this legislation, we will build on Florida’s strong stance against illegal immigration, and we will create even more deterrents for illegal immigrants trying to enter our state.”
Florida's CFO is a cabinet member and heads up the Florida Department of Financial Services.
The move comes at a time where legal immigration routes into the U.S. have been curtailed and work authorizations made more expensive.
