[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1837 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1837

   To amend title 23, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
 Transportation to withhold highways funds from any State that permits 
  an individual to use a hand-held mobile telephone while operating a 
                             motor vehicle.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2001

 Mr. Ackerman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 23, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
 Transportation to withhold highways funds from any State that permits 
  an individual to use a hand-held mobile telephone while operating a 
                             motor vehicle.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Call Responsibly and Stay Healthy 
Act 2001''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON USE OF HAND-HELD MOBILE TELEPHONES BY 
              INDIVIDUALS OPERATING MOTOR VEHICLES.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 1 of title 23, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 165. Prohibition on use of hand-held mobile telephones by 
              individuals operating motor vehicles
    ``(a) Withholding of Apportionments for Noncompliance.--
            ``(1) Fiscal year 2004.--The Secretary shall withhold 5 
        percent of the amount required to be apportioned to any State 
        under each of paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of section 104(b) on 
        October 1, 2003, if the State does not meet the requirement of 
        paragraph (3) on that date.
            ``(2) Thereafter.--The Secretary shall withhold 10 percent 
        of the amount required to be apportioned to any State under 
        each of paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of section 104(b) on 
        October 1, 2004, and on October 1 of each fiscal year 
        thereafter, if the State does not meet the requirement of 
        paragraph (3) on that date.
            ``(3) Requirement.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A State meets the requirement of 
                this paragraph if the State has enacted and is 
                enforcing a law that makes unlawful throughout the 
                State the use of a hand-held mobile telephone by an 
                individual who is operating a motor vehicle.
                    ``(B) Emergencies.--A State law described in 
                subparagraph (A) may provide an exemption to permit an 
                individual who is operating a motor vehicle to use a 
                hand-held mobile telephone in the case of an emergency.
                    ``(C) Hands-free devices.--A State law described in 
                subparagraph (A) may provide an exemption to permit an 
                individual who is operating a motor vehicle to use a 
                hand-held mobile telephone with a device that permits 
                hands-free operation of the telephone.
    ``(b) Period of Availability; Effect of Compliance and 
Noncompliance.--
            ``(1) Period of availability of withheld funds.--
                    ``(A) Funds withheld on or before september 30, 
                2005.--Any funds withheld under subsection (a) from 
                apportionment to any State on or before September 30, 
                2005, shall remain available until the end of the third 
                fiscal year following the fiscal year for which the 
                funds are authorized to be appropriated.
                    ``(B) Funds withheld after september 30, 2005.--No 
                funds withheld under this section from apportionment to 
                any State after September 30, 2005, shall be available 
                for apportionment to the State.
            ``(2) Apportionment of withheld funds after compliance.--
        If, before the last day of the period for which funds withheld 
        under subsection (a) from apportionment are to remain available 
        for apportionment to a State under paragraph (1), the State 
        meets the requirement of subsection (a)(3), the Secretary 
        shall, on the first day on which the State meets the 
        requirement, apportion to the State the funds withheld under 
        subsection (a) that remain available for apportionment to the 
        State.
            ``(3) Period of availability of subsequently apportioned 
        funds.--Any funds apportioned pursuant to paragraph (2) shall 
        remain available for expenditure until the end of the third 
        fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the funds are so 
        apportioned. Sums not obligated at the end of that period shall 
        lapse.
            ``(4) Effect of noncompliance.--If, at the end of the 
        period for which funds withheld under subsection (a) from 
        apportionment are available for apportionment to a State under 
        paragraph (1), the State does not meet the requirement of 
        subsection (a)(3), the funds shall lapse.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for subchapter I of chapter 
1 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``165. Prohibition on use of hand-held mobile telephones by individuals 
                            operating motor vehicles.''.
                                 <all>