Back in January I introduced a bill to help drivers obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL). That bill is LB 688. The bill has advanced out of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee and is now on General File. So, today I would like to tell you why this bill is important and why I introduced it.

Obtaining a commercial driver’s license isn’t as easy at it use to be. 25 years ago, all that a person had to do to get a CDL was to pay a visit to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), pass a few tests, and pay a fee. A lot has changed since those days. The process has become much more complicated and a lot more expensive.

Today there are several hoops that a driver must jump through in order to get a CDL. Today the process begins with getting a physical examination by a certified physician associated with the Department of Transportation. After the examination a person may apply for a Commercial Learners Permit (CLP). In order to get a CLP a driver must provide the DMV with proof of citizenship, complete a medical self-certification, and provide the DMV with a copy of his or her Medical Examination Certificate Card issued by the examining physician. However, the CLP only allows the individual to drive within the State of Nebraska and the CLP is only good 180 days. If the CLP expires before the driver obtains a CDL, the process starts all over again from the beginning.

In order to obtain an actual CDL a driver must be 21 years of age and hold a CLP for at least 14 days prior to taking any of the CDL tests. Besides passing a general written test and a physical driving test, a driver must also pass certain endorsement tests dependent upon what kind of driving he or she plans to do. If all of this seems complicated, that’s because it is.

Because there is so much involved with getting a CDL today, many community colleges, businesses and even non-profit organizations now offer training courses designed to help drivers obtain a CDL. Last year Iowa passed legislation to fund these kinds of training programs in their state. Without similar action by the Nebraska State Legislature, we would stand to lose many of these training opportunities to Iowa and other neighboring states. Therefore, I introduced LB 688 which would appropriate five million dollars towards training CDL drivers in Nebraska. Because commercial transportation is so vital to the economy of our state, I believe this bill is necessary to keep our economy going.

Last Sunday was an amazing and glorious time to celebrate the most pivotal day in human history. Whether you celebrated at a small country church, outdoors at a sunrise service, or inside a grand cathedral, Easter Sunday is the day when Christians all around the world remember the historical fact of Jesus rising from the dead. Everyone lives forever. You make the decision about where you will spend the rest of eternity. Jesus Christ is the way to heaven. Jesus said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” He is risen!