What was the scope of the CDL training program that DeSantis vetoed?

The program would have allowed Commercial Driver License training for nonviolent inmates who were either scheduled for imminent release or had two years or less remaining on their sentences. English proficiency was required, and at least one corrections officer would have accompanied any inmate operating a state vehicle during training. The program would have been managed by Florida's Correctional Education Program in partnership with colleges and public or private school districts.

What were DeSantis's stated reasons for rejecting the legislation?

According to the veto letter, the Governor cited two primary concerns: (1) the program would be 'unnecessarily burdensome' to the Department of Corrections due to personnel monitoring requirements, and (2) it creates 'significant public safety concerns by authorizing incarcerated individuals to operate commercial vehicles in public thoroughfares.' Despite these objections, the bill passed both chambers without opposition.

How does this veto affect the trucking industry's driver shortage problem?

The rejection eliminates one targeted pathway for expanding the driver labor pool during a period of sustained shortage in the trucking sector. Inmate workforce development programs have been used in other states as a supplementary recruitment strategy. By blocking this program, Florida forgoes an opportunity to convert low-risk inmates near release into trained CDL holders, reducing a potential source of entry-level drivers.

Was there industry support for the vetoed program?

The article notes that the Florida Trucking Association could not be immediately reached for comment on either the legislation or veto. This lack of documented opposition from industry groups suggests the program may have had support or at minimum neutral industry reception, making the Governor's veto a unilateral policy decision rather than a response to industry concerns.

What was the larger legislative context for this CDL training provision?

The CDL training provision was part of HB 325, a broader vocational training bill for prisoners. The larger bill would have expanded the Florida Department of Transportation's workforce development funding beyond construction-focused programs to include a wider array of vocational training. DeSantis's veto rejected not only the CDL component but potentially affected the entire bill's passage.

Labor & Workforce

Moderate

DeSantis Vetoes Florida CDL Training Program for Inmates

Jun 29, 2026

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The signal

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bipartisan bill (HB 325) that would have authorized Commercial Driver License (CDL) training for nonviolent inmates scheduled for release or within two years of completing their sentences. Despite passing both legislative chambers without opposition, the Governor rejected the provision citing operational burdens on the Department of Corrections and public safety concerns. This decision eliminates a potential avenue for addressing the persistent truck driver shortage while reducing recidivism through vocational skills training.

The vetoed program represented a targeted approach to workforce development, limiting participation to low-risk inmates nearing freedom and requiring English proficiency and constant corrections officer supervision during vehicle operation. The rejection signals political reluctance to expand rehabilitation-focused initiatives even when they target narrow, low-risk populations—a position that may resonate with law-and-order constituencies but contradicts industry needs for driver recruitment. For supply chain professionals, this outcome perpetuates workforce constraints in trucking while closing a potential source of trained drivers during a sustained labor shortage.

The veto also reflects broader policy tensions around inmate employment programs, suggesting that future workforce initiatives will face heightened scrutiny regardless of their targeted scope.

#cdl-training

#workforce-development

#florida-trucking

#inmate-rehabilitation