HLS 22RS-1836 ENGROSSED 2022 Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 69 BY REPRESENTATIVES BRASS, CORMIER, EDMONSTON, FIRMENT, FREIBERG, GADBERRY, HORTON, LARVADAIN, MARINO, PIERRE, SCHAMERHORN, AND SELDERS CURRICULA/DRIVER ED: Requests establishment of credentials for commercial driver's license classroom training 1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION 2To urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the state 3 Department of Education, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, 4 and the Louisiana Workforce Commission to collaborate to establish an industry- 5 based credential offered through dual enrollment for the classroom instruction 6 portion of commercial driver's license training. 7 WHEREAS, as drivers age out of the workforce, driving schools close, and young 8people pursue other opportunities, the American Trucking Association estimates a shortage 9of 160,000 drivers by 2028; and 10 WHEREAS, according to the association, trucks move roughly 72.5% of the nation's 11freight by weight; with a lack of drivers, delivering that freight will be a monumental task; 12and 13 WHEREAS, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports about 28,100 openings for 14diesel service technicians and mechanics are projected each year, on average, over the next 15decade; many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who 16transfer to different occupations or retire; and 17 WHEREAS, the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program, proposed by the Federal 18Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), will soon become operational; the program 19will allow people as young as eighteen to drive interstate semi trucks; and Page 1 of 3 HLS 22RS-1836 ENGROSSED HCR NO. 69 1 WHEREAS, providing the classroom instruction portion of commercial driver's 2license (CDL) certification to high school students through dual enrollment and subsequently 3providing driving instruction after they have reached the age of eighteen will both shorten 4the time between high school graduation and employment and reduce the cost to the students 5pursuing CDLs or a transportation-related program; and 6 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) is 7a member of the Next Generation in Trucking Association, a nonprofit organization creating 8and promoting CDL driver and diesel technical training programs for the next generation; 9and 10 WHEREAS, the Board of Regents and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary 11Education have demonstrated success through the Fast Forward Program, a program aimed 12at achieving the goal that, beginning with the freshman class of 2025, all public high school 13graduates in Louisiana will complete high school with academic or career-technical college 14credit, a postsecondary credential of value, or both; and 15 WHEREAS, in the report submitted to the legislative transportation committees in 16response to House Concurrent Resolution No. 62 of the 2021 Regular Session of the 17Legislature, LCTCS proposed a framework offering both a logistics credential and a 18postsecondary education credential of value covering the theory portion of the entry level 19driving program, which is a requirement prior to entering the behind-the-wheel instruction; 20and 21 WHEREAS, the utilization of dual enrollment and the Fast Forward Program to 22deliver the classroom instruction necessary for the CDL will help meet the demand for 23drivers with CDLs in Louisiana and help provide additional high-wage and high-demand 24employment opportunities to the young citizens of our state. 25 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 26urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the state 27Department of Education, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, and the 28Louisiana Workforce Commission to collaborate to establish an industry-based credential, 29offered through dual enrollment, for the classroom instruction portion of CDL training. Page 2 of 3 HLS 22RS-1836 ENGROSSED HCR NO. 69 1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the instruction shall cover the FMCSA's required 2theory portion of the entry-level driver training program. 3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such instruction be made available to students 4for the 2022-2023 school year. 5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary 6Education, the state Department of Education, the Louisiana Community and Technical 7College System, and the Louisiana Workforce Commission shall provide a written report to 8the House Committee on Education, Senate Committee on Education, House Committee on 9Transportation, Highways and Public Works, and Senate Committee on Transportation, 10Highways and Public Works not later than September 1, 2022, relative to progress made, any 11impediments to implementation, and recommendations for any legislation necessary to 12implement the charges of this Resolution. 13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the 14president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the state 15superintendent of education, the system president of the Louisiana Community and 16Technical College System, and the secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission. DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HCR 69 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Brass Requests the State Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Education, the state Dept. of Education, the La. Community and Technical College System, and the La. Workforce Commission to collaborate to establish an industry-based credential offered through dual enrollment for the classroom instruction portion of commercial driver's license training. Page 3 of 3