1.
This Act may be cited as the
Driver Licensing and Education
Improvement Act of 2005
.
2.
Driver licensing and education
(a)
National Driver Licensing and Education Improvement
Program
Section 105 of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(f)
(1)
There is established,
within the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Driver
Licensing and Education Improvement Program.
(2)
The National Driver
Licensing and Education Improvement Program shall—
(A)
provide States with
services for coordinating the motor vehicle driver education and licensing
programs of the States;
(B)
develop, and make available
to the States, a cooperatively developed, research-based model for novice
driver motor vehicle driver education and graduated licensing that incorporates
the best practices in driver education and graduated licensing;
(C)
carry out such research and
undertake such other activities that the Administrator determines appropriate
to develop and continually improve the model described in subparagraph
(B);
(D)
provide States with
voluntary technical assistance for the implementation and deployment of the
model described in subparagraph (B) through pilot programs and other
means;
(E)
develop and recommend to
the States methods for harmonizing the presentation of motor vehicle driver
education and licensing with the requirements of multistage graduated licensing
systems, including systems described in section 410(b)(1)(D) of title 23, and
to demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of those methods in selected
States;
(F)
develop programs
identifying best practices for the certification of driver education
instructors;
(G)
provide States with
financial assistance under section 412 of title 23 for—
(i)
the implementation of the
motor vehicle driver education and licensing comprehensive model recommended
under subparagraph (B);
(ii)
the establishment or
improved administration of multistage graduated licensing systems; and
(iii)
the support of other
improvements in motor vehicle driver education and licensing programs;
(H)
evaluate the effectiveness
of the comprehensive model recommended under subparagraph (B); and
(I)
perform such other
functions relating to motor vehicle driver education or licensing as the
Secretary may require.
(3)
Not later than 3 years
after the date of enactment of the Driver Licensing and Education Improvement
Act of 2005, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the
progress made by the National Driver Licensing and Education with respect to
the functions described in paragraph (2).
.
(b)
Grant program for improvement of driver education and
licensing
(1)
Chapter 4 of title 23, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
412.
Driver education and licensing
(a)
(1)
The Secretary shall
establish a program to provide grants to States to—
(A)
improve motor vehicle
driver education programs; and
(B)
establish and improve the
administration of graduated licensing systems, including systems described in
section 410(b)(1)(D).
(2)
The Secretary shall
administer the program established under this section through the National
Driver Licensing and Education Improvement Program.
(b)
(1)
Not later than 18 months
after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue
regulations, which describe the eligibility requirements, application and
approval procedures and standards, and authorized uses of grant funds awarded
under this section.
(2)
The regulations issued
under this subsection shall authorize the use of grant funds—
(A)
for quality assurance
testing, including followup testing to monitor the effectiveness of—
(i)
driver licensing and
education programs;
(ii)
instructor certification
testing; and
(iii)
other statistical research
designed to evaluate the performance of driver education and licensing
programs;
(B)
to improve motor vehicle
driver education curricula;
(C)
to train instructors for
motor vehicle driver education programs;
(D)
to test and evaluate motor
vehicle driver performance;
(E)
for public education and
outreach regarding motor vehicle driver education and licensing; and
(F)
to improve State graduated
licensing programs and carry out related enforcement activities.
(3)
In prescribing regulations
under this subsection, the Secretary shall consult with—
(A)
the heads of such Federal
departments and agencies as the Secretary considers appropriate on the basis of
relevant interests or expertise;
(B)
appropriate officials of
the governments of States and political subdivisions of States; and
(C)
other experts and
organizations recognized for expertise, with respect to novice drivers,
in—
(i)
graduated driver
licensing;
(ii)
publicly administered
driver education; or
(iii)
privately administered
driver education.
(c)
The amount of grant funds
awarded for a program, project, or activity under this section may not exceed
75 percent of the total cost of such program, project, or activity.
(d)
Grant funds provided to
States under this section may not be used to finance—
(1)
the day-to-day operational
expenses, including employee salaries and facilities costs, of publicly or
privately administered driver education programs; or
(2)
the activities described in
subparagraphs (A) through (C) of subsection (b)(2) in fiscal year 2006 or
2007.
.
(2)
The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following:
412. Driver education and
licensing.
.
(c)
Study of national driver education standards
(1)
The Secretary of
Transportation shall conduct a study to determine whether the establishment and
imposition of nationwide minimum standards of motor vehicle driver education
would improve national highway traffic safety or the performance and legal
compliance of novice drivers.
(2)
Time for completion of study
The Secretary shall complete
the study not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this
Act.
(3)
The Secretary shall publish a
report on the results of the study under this section not later than 2 years
after the study is completed.
(d)
Authorization of appropriations
(1)
There are authorized to be
appropriated $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2006 through 2010 to
carry out section 412 of title 23, United States Code, as added by subsection
(b).
(2)
Funds appropriated pursuant
to paragraph (1) for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 may be used for the National
Driver Licensing and Education Improvement Program established under section
105(f) of title 49, United States Code.
(e)
Grants for support of alcohol-Impaired driving
countermeasures
(1)
Revised eligibility requirements
Section 410(b)(1)(D) of title
23, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(D)
Graduated licensing system
A multiple-stage graduated
licensing system for young drivers that—
(i)
authorizes the issuance of
an initial license or learner’s permit to a driver on or after the driver’s
16th birthday;
(ii)
makes it unlawful for a
person under age 21 to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol
concentration of .02 percent or greater;
(iii)
provides for a learning
stage of at least 6 months and an intermediate stage of at least 6 months;
and
(iv)
applies the following
restrictions and features to the stages described in clause (iii) and to such
other stage or stages as may be provided under State law:
(I)
A restriction that not more
than 2 passengers under age 18 may occupy a vehicle while it is being operated
by a young driver.
(II)
Nighttime driving
restrictions applicable, at a minimum, during the hours between 10:00 p.m. and
5:00 a.m.
(III)
Special penalties
(including delays in progression through the stages of the graduated licensing
system) for violations of restrictions under the system and violations of other
State laws relating to operation of motor vehicles.
.
(2)
The amendment made by
paragraph (1) shall take effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act.