[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1216 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1216
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations to
reduce the incidence of child injury and death occurring inside or
outside of light motor vehicles, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 27, 2007
Ms. Schakowsky (for herself and Mr. King of New York) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations to
reduce the incidence of child injury and death occurring inside or
outside of light motor vehicles, and for other purposes.
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 ``Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars
Safety Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. RULEMAKING REGARDING CHILD SAFETY.
(a) Power Window Safety.--Not later than 18 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation (referred
to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall issue regulations,
applicable to light motor vehicles, requiring power windows and panels
to automatically reverse direction when they detect an obstruction to
prevent children from being trapped, injured, or killed.
(b) Rearward Visibility.--Not later than 24 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue regulations,
applicable to light motor vehicles, requiring a rearward visibility
performance standard that provides drivers with a means for detecting
the presence of a person or object behind the vehicle to prevent death
and injury resulting from backing incidents, particularly incidents
involving small children and disabled persons.
(c) Phase-In Period.--
(1) In general.--The regulations issued pursuant to
subsections (a) and (b) shall require--
(A) a phase-in period, as determined by the
Secretary, for compliance with the regulations, which
period shall commence not later than 6 months after the
date on which final rules are issued; and
(B) that new light motor vehicles manufactured
after the date that is 3\1/2\ years after the issuance
of the final rule shall comply with such regulations.
(2) Phase-in priorities.--In requiring the phase-in of
rearward visibility performance regulations under this
subsection, the Secretary shall consider whether to give
priority during the phase-in to types of light motor vehicles
that have a comparatively larger or longer rear blind zone. If
the Secretary determines that any type of light motor vehicles
should be given priority, the Secretary shall issue regulations
that specify--
(A) which type or types of light motor vehicles
shall be phased-in first; and
(B) the percentages in which such light motor
vehicles shall be phased-in.
(d) Preventing Vehicles From Rolling Away.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 24 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue
regulations to require light motor vehicles that are equipped
with an automatic transmission that includes a ``park''
position to have a system that requires the service brake to be
depressed before the transmission can be shifted out of
``park''. This system shall function in any starting system key
position in which the transmission can be shifted out of
``park''.
(2) Applicability.--The regulation issued under paragraph
(1) shall apply to light motor vehicles manufactured on or
after September 1, 2010.
(3) Publication of noncompliant vehicles.--
(A) Information submission.--Not later than 60 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, for the
current model year and annually thereafter through
2010, each motor vehicle manufacturer shall submit to
the Secretary the make and model of light motor
vehicles that are equipped with automatic transmissions
that do not comply with the regulations issued under
paragraph (1).
(B) Publication.--Not later than 30 days after
receiving the information submitted under subparagraph
(A), the Secretary shall publish and otherwise make
available to the public the make and model of the light
motor vehicles that do not comply with the regulations
issued under paragraph (1). Any vehicle not included in
the publication under this subparagraph will be assumed
to comply with the regulations issued under paragraph
(1).
(e) Database on Injuries and Deaths in Nontraffic, Noncrash
Events.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and
maintain a database of injuries and deaths in nontraffic,
noncrash events involving light motor vehicles.
(2) Contents.--The database established pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall include information regarding--
(A) the number, types, and causes of injuries and
deaths resulting from the events described in paragraph
(1);
(B) the make, model, and model year of light motor
vehicles involved in such events; and
(C) other variables that the Secretary determines
will enhance the value of the database.
(3) Availability.--The Secretary shall make the information
contained in the database established pursuant to paragraph (1)
available to the public.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Light motor vehicle.--The term ``light motor vehicle''
means a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, with a gross
vehicle weight rating of not more than 10,000 pounds.
(2) Rear blind zone.--The term ``rear blind zone'' means
the area behind a light motor vehicle which the driver cannot
see using the vehicle mirrors and windows provided as original
equipment.
SEC. 3. CHILD SAFETY INFORMATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide information about
hazards to children in nontraffic, noncrash incident situations by--
(1) supplementing an existing consumer information program
relating to child safety; or
(2) creating a new consumer information program relating to
child safety.
(b) Program Requirements.--In carrying out the program under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
(1) utilize information collected pursuant to section 2(e)
regarding nontraffic, noncrash injuries, and other relevant
data from private organizations, to establish priorities for
the program;
(2) address ways in which parents and caregivers can reduce
risks to small children arising from back over incidents,
hyperthermia in closed vehicles, accidental actuation of power
windows, and any other risks the Secretary determines should be
addressed; and
(3) make information related to the program available to
the public through the Internet and other means.
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