U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill Introduces 'Barron's Law' to Enhance Trucking Safety and Immigration Compliance
U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) is preparing to introduce "Barron's Law," officially known as the "Trucking Safety and Accountability Act of 2026." This legislation aims to significantly tighten immigration requirements for commercial drivers, mandate English-language proficiency testing, and crack down on "chameleon carriers"—companies that operate under new identities to evade federal regulations. The bill also proposes imposing substantial penalties on companies that knowingly employ or contract with ineligible drivers. The legislation is named after Barron Ritchey, an 8-year-old boy who tragically died in 2023 when a wheel and tires detached from a tractor-trailer and struck his family's SUV near Hillsboro, Texas. The driver involved in that incident reportedly had an expired B-1 visa. Gill stated that the legislation seeks to prevent similar tragedies by ensuring that commercial truck drivers are lawfully present in the U.S. and possess adequate English language skills.
