Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Wednesday that he is withholding significant funds from a blue state that has failed to comply with English language proficiency standards for commercial drivers, Blaze News has exclusively learned.
Last month, Duffy shared the results of a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit, which found "systemic non-compliance" among state driver licensing agencies in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington.
'California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big-rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement.'
Duffy warned that there would be consequences for states that failed to comply with ELP standards.
This issue within the American trucking industry was thrown into the national spotlight in August when an illegal alien truck driver was accused of making an unlawful U-turn and killing three people in Florida. The Indian national obtained his license in California.
The DOT previously described California as "the most egregious" offender in meeting the English proficiency requirement for commercial driver's license holders.
"My message is very simple," Duffy warned. "Get into compliance now, or we'll pull funding and we'll force you into compliance."
In addition to demanding immediate compliance, the DOT also paused California's issuance of non-domiciled CDLs in September. The state was required to identify all unexpired licenses that failed to comply with regulations.
Duffy indicated Wednesday that California had failed to comply and, as a result, the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program — which provides grant funding for roadside inspections, traffic enforcement, safety audits, and public education campaigns — would withhold $40,685,225 from the state, according to a press release obtained by Blaze News.
"I put states on notice this summer: Enforce the Trump administration's English language requirements or the checks stop coming. California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big-rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement. This is a fundamental safety issue that impacts you and your family on America's roads," Duffy stated.
"Let me be clear: This is valuable money that should be going to the great men and women in California law enforcement, whom we support. Gov. [Gavin] Newsom's insistence on obstructing federal law has tied my hands," Duffy remarked.
To receive the now-withheld federal funding, the state "must adopt and actively enforce a law, regulation, standard, or order that is compatible with the federal ELP requirement for commercial drivers," the press release read.
"This means state inspectors need to begin conducting ELP assessments during roadside inspections and place those who fail out of service," it added.
The California Highway Patrol indicated to Overdrive in July that it had no plans to place truck drivers out of service for failing to meet ELP standards.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
For more than two decades, California’s electric vehicle drivers enjoyed a privilege that millions of traditional commuters envied: the ability to glide into the carpool lane while driving solo.
That perk, created under the state’s Clean Air Vehicle program, was meant to reward early adopters of electric cars and hybrids while encouraging the broader public to embrace cleaner transportation. But after September 30, that advantage comes to an end.
When the program launched in 2001, the idea was to kick-start adoption of a new technology, not to create a permanent class of special drivers.
California’s Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed it stopped accepting new applications for Clean Air Vehicle decals on August 29, and existing decals will no longer be valid beginning October 1.
That means a Tesla, Chevy Bolt, or Toyota Prius Prime with a single driver will be treated the same as a gas-powered sedan in traffic. Use the high-occupancy vehicle lane alone, and you risk a ticket of up to $490.
The reason behind this abrupt shift is not state policy but federal law. The Clean Air Vehicle program was last authorized through the 2015 federal transportation law, which included a sunset clause requiring Congress to extend it. That extension never happened. Without Washington’s approval, California cannot legally continue granting carpool lane access to EV drivers.
This has sparked frustration among both state officials and drivers who had come to view the privilege as a key reason to purchase an electric vehicle. Since the program’s inception in 2001, California has issued more than 1.2 million decals, with about 512,000 still valid this summer. The scale of adoption made California a national model for incentivizing EV use. For many, skipping bumper-to-bumper traffic was just as important as lower fuel costs or environmental benefits.
Governor Gavin Newsom (D) sharply criticized the lapse, blaming congressional inaction. His office warned that revoking EV access to HOV lanes will worsen traffic congestion and increase air pollution.
California already struggles with air quality, hosting five of the nation’s 10 smoggiest cities, according to the American Lung Association. State officials argue that taking incentives away from EVs could discourage adoption at a time when they want more drivers behind the wheel of battery-powered cars.
But the politics of EV incentives have shifted dramatically in recent years. Bipartisan support has fractured, and federal priorities have moved away from programs like California’s Clean Air Vehicle initiative. Under President Donald Trump, environmental waivers that California used to set its own strict emissions standards were revoked.
He also signed an executive order halting federal EV incentives, such as the $7,500 tax credit, and moved to eliminate the state’s zero-emissions vehicle mandate. More recently, his administration backed several resolutions overturning California’s regulations, including its 2035 ban on new gas-powered cars.
RELATED: Can the Fuel Emissions Freedom Act save America’s auto industry from California?
California, for its part, has doubled down on electrification. Electric vehicles accounted for 25% of new car sales in 2024, the highest in the nation. The state now has more EV chargers than gas stations, and its climate policies require automakers to meet aggressive EV sales quotas if they want to continue selling gasoline-powered models. To bridge the gap, state lawmakers passed legislation in 2024 to extend the Clean Air Vehicle program until 2027. But because federal approval was necessary, that effort has now hit a wall.
The loss of carpool lane access raises serious questions about the balance between incentives and mandates. Many Californians purchased EVs with the expectation of long-term access to HOV lanes, and for commuters in areas like Los Angeles or the Bay Area, the time savings are significant. Taking that away could undermine consumer confidence in state-backed incentives. If benefits can vanish overnight, will drivers think twice before making the leap to an electric car, especially with prices still higher than many gasoline vehicles?
There’s also the issue of traffic itself. With over half a million cars losing carpool access at once, HOV lanes may open up — but the general flow of traffic could get worse. California has long promoted these lanes as a way to reduce congestion and emissions. Yet now, drivers who purchased EVs expecting relief from gridlock will be back in the same stop-and-go conditions as everyone else.
Some critics argue that carpool incentives were always meant to be temporary. When the program launched in 2001, the idea was to kick-start adoption of a new technology, not to create a permanent class of special drivers. EV sales are now far higher than expected when the program began, and some transportation analysts suggest that the incentives have already served their purpose. In their view, it’s time to reassess whether carpool perks are fair, especially as EVs become mainstream.
Still, the political framing remains contentious. California officials see the lapse as part of a broader pattern of federal resistance to their climate policies. They argue that while EVs have become more popular, the fight against pollution requires every possible tool, including access incentives. Without federal cooperation, the state faces limits on how far it can go.
Drivers, meanwhile, are caught in the middle. A Tesla owner who counted on the decal as part of their daily commute could soon be facing hundreds of dollars in fines. Discounts on toll programs, such as those tied to FasTrak Clean Air Vehicle tags, will also vanish unless drivers meet normal occupancy rules.
This moment highlights a broader tension in the transition to electric vehicles: the clash between ambitious state-level initiatives and shifting federal policy. California wants to lead the nation in electrification, but it cannot do so entirely on its own.
As EV adoption accelerates, the question becomes whether incentives should keep pace — or whether it’s time for the market to stand on its own.
For now, the result is clear. Starting in October, California’s EV drivers will no longer be able to rely on their clean-air decals to speed through traffic. Instead, they’ll have to join the same lanes as everyone else, while the larger policy debates play out in Washington and Sacramento.
What happens next will depend on how lawmakers balance environmental goals, commuter realities, and political priorities. But one thing is certain: The end of California’s Clean Air Vehicle program marks a turning point in how America incentivizes electric cars. For drivers, it’s a reminder that government programs can change overnight — and the road ahead may be more complicated than expected.
California Democrat gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter made a huge mistake when she threw a fit on air with a local reporter who was asking her simple questions — because it’s not the first time Porter has acted out.
And those wronged by her are taking the opportunity to pile onto her worsening PR crisis.
Now, footage from 2021 has resurfaced of an interview Porter did with Politico.
“Politico is like, ‘We’ve been waiting. We’ve been waiting to release this. Now is our moment,’” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says, before playing a clip of Porter screaming at one of her staffers during the interview for getting in her shot.
“Get out of my f**king shot,” she yells at the staffer, who can be seen wearing a mask in the background of the virtual meeting with Politico.
Her staffer then pulled down her mask and said she wanted to tell Porter that what she was talking about was “actually incorrect.”
“Okay. You also were in my shot before that. Stay out of my shot,” Porter responded.
“So, this was not the first time, by the way,” Gonzales comments, laughing.
“We’ve got another clip of her bullying staffers, and I want you to pay very close attention, because ... you can see the anger bubbling within her. And then there’s a moment where she turns off her camera, and I just, I’m really worried about her staffers in that moment,” she continues.
When Porter resurfaces, one of her staffers can be seen running to get out of the shot in the background.
“I just feel like we need to check on those staffers and make sure that they didn’t end up mysteriously missing because if so, I think I know who killed them,” Gonzales says.
Even worse, texts from 2022 have resurfaced where Porter berates and lets go of a staffer for failing to take a COVID-19 test, despite exhibiting no signs of illness. The staffer explained to Porter that after her friend was murdered, she was going through a difficult time and slacked off a little — but Porter wouldn’t hear it.
“I cannot allow you back in the office, given your failure to follow office policies,” Porter wrote via text to her staffer, Sasha.
“I understand. Thank you for the last two years and all that I have learned. I hate to have disappointed you in the manner, as I know it isn’t an excuse I had found out my friend from the navy had been murdered and my head was not in the best place. Not an excuse, but the reasoning for the lack of forethought. I appreciate everything this office has done for me,” the employee wrote.
“Well, you gave me Covid. In 25 months, it took you not following the rules to get me sick. My children have nobody to care for them,” Porter responded coldly.
“I think your children owe Sasha a thank-you, because any moment that they don’t have to spend with your miserable ass is probably greatly cherished,” Gonzales says. “They should write her a thank-you card and send her a bouquet, Sasha, for getting you sick.”
However, that's not even the worst of it.
According to divorce records, Porter also “frequently abused” her ex-husband “verbally” and threw “toys, books, and other objects” at him during their marriage. She once even poured scalding-hot mashed potatoes on his head during a fight.
“This is who wants to be in charge of the state of California,” Gonzales says. “Guys, they are not sending their best.”
To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Under the euphemism of “pupil and student safety,” Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a requirement that California’s public schools, middle school through college, include the number for the radical Trevor Project’s “LGBTQ+ suicide hotline” on student identification cards. The existing California law had already required that all student IDs — at public and private […]
'It’s just proof that they do not even know what is in their own bill that they shut down the government over,' Minarik said.
www.theblaze.com