[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6458 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6458
To establish a national maximum speed limit of 60 miles per hour on
highways, and 65 miles per hour on portions of the National Highway
System located outside of an urbanized area.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 10, 2008
Ms. Speier introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a national maximum speed limit of 60 miles per hour on
highways, and 65 miles per hour on portions of the National Highway
System located outside of an urbanized area.
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 referred to as the ``Gasoline Savings and Speed
Limit Reduction Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS.
(a) National Maximum Speed Limits.--Chapter 1 of title 23, United
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 149 the following:
``Sec. 150. National maximum speed limits
``(a) Speed Limit Requirements.--The Secretary shall not approve a
project under section 106 in any State which has--
``(1) a maximum speed limit on any highway within its
jurisdiction in excess of 60 miles per hour, other than a
highway on the National Highway System located outside of an
urbanized area;
``(2) a maximum speed limit on any highway within its
jurisdiction on the National Highway System located outside of
an urbanized area in excess of 65 miles per hour;
``(3) failed to meet the requirements of subsection (b); or
``(4) a speed limit on any portion of a public highway
within its jurisdiction which is not uniformly applicable to
all types of motor vehicles using such portion of highway, if
on July 1, 2008, such portion of highway had a speed limit
which was uniformly applicable to all types of motor vehicles
using it, except that--
``(A) a lower speed limit may be established for
any vehicle operating under a special permit because of
the weight or dimension of such vehicle, including any
load thereon; and
``(B) this paragraph shall not apply to any portion
of a highway during such time that the condition of the
highway, weather, an accident, or other condition
creates a temporary hazard to the safety of traffic.
``(b) Certification.--
``(1) Certification requirement.--Each State shall certify
to the Secretary before January 1 of each year, beginning in
2009, that it is enforcing all speed limits on public highways
in accordance with this section.
``(2) Data requirements.--
``(A) In general.--Each State shall submit to the
Secretary such data as the Secretary determines by rule
is necessary to support the certification of the State
under this subsection, including data required under
subparagraph (B).
``(B) Data on speed limit violations.--
``(i) In general.--Each State shall submit
to the Secretary data on the percentage of
motor vehicles exceeding the speed limit on
maximum speed limit highways, including data
on--
``(I) citations; and
``(II) travel speed, including the
posted speed limit and design
characteristics of roads from which
travel speed data are gathered.
``(ii) Establishment of criteria.--The
Secretary shall establish criteria for data
submitted under this subparagraph, including
criteria which take into account the
variability of speedometer readings and
criteria based on the speeds of all vehicles or
a representative sample thereof.
``(C) Data collection.--The Secretary shall issue
regulations which ensure that--
``(i) the monitoring programs conducted by
the States to collect data for purposes of this
subsection are uniform;
``(ii) devices and equipment for such
programs are placed at locations on maximum
speed limit highways on a scientifically random
basis which takes into account the relative
risk, as determined by the Secretary, of motor
vehicle accidents occurring considering the
classes of such highways and the speeds at
which vehicles travel on such classes of
highways; and
``(iii) the data submitted under this
subsection will be in such form as the
Secretary determines is necessary to carry out
this section.
``(c) Penalty for Underenforcement.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), if
the data submitted by a State pursuant to subsection (b) at the
end of a fiscal year show that the percentage of motor vehicles
exceeding the speed limit on maximum speed limit highways in
the State is greater than the maximum percentage established
for such fiscal year under this paragraph, the Secretary shall
transfer a percentage of the aggregate amount of Federal-aid
highway funds apportioned to the State under sections 104(b)(1)
and 104(b)(3) for the fiscal year ending 2 years later to one
or more State safety projects, as follows:
``(A) 2009.--For the fiscal year ending September
30, 2009, if the percentage of motor vehicles exceeding
the speed limit on maximum speed highways in the State
is greater than 70 percent, the Secretary shall
transfer up to 5 percent of the aggregate amount of
Federal-aid highway funds apportioned to the State
under sections 104(b)(1) and 104(b)(3) for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2011, to one or more State
safety projects.
``(B) 2010.--For the fiscal year ending September
30, 2010, if the percentage of motor vehicles exceeding
the speed limit on maximum speed highways in the State
is greater than 60 percent,the Secretary shall transfer
up to 5 percent of the aggregate amount of Federal-aid
highway funds apportioned to the State under sections
104(b)(1) and 104(b)(3) for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2012, to one or more State safety
projects.
``(C) 2011.--For the fiscal year ending September
30, 2011, if the percentage of motor vehicles exceeding
the speed limit on maximum speed highways in the State
is greater than 50 percent, the Secretary shall
transfer up to 5 percent of the aggregate amount of
Federal-aid highway funds apportioned to the State
under sections 104(b)(1) and 104(b)(3) for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2013, to one or more State
safety projects.
``(D) 2012.--For the fiscal year ending September
30, 2012, if the percentage of motor vehicles exceeding
the speed limit on maximum speed highways in the State
is greater than 40 percent, the Secretary shall
transfer up to 10 percent of the aggregate amount of
Federal-aid highway funds apportioned to the State
under sections 104(b)(1) and 104(b)(3) for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2014, to one or more State
safety projects.
``(E) 2013.--For the fiscal year ending September
30, 2013, if the percentage of motor vehicles exceeding
the speed limit on maximum speed highways in the State
is greater than 30 percent, the Secretary shall
transfer up to 10 percent of the aggregate amount of
Federal-aid highway funds apportioned to the State
under sections 104(b)(1) and 104(b)(3) for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2015, to one or more State
safety projects.
``(F) Subsequent years.--In a fiscal year following
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, if the
percentage of motor vehicles exceeding the speed limit
on maximum speed highways in the State is greater than
30 percent, the Secretary shall transfer up to 10
percent of the aggregate amount of Federal-aid highway
funds apportioned to the State under sections 104(b)(1)
and 104(b)(3) for the fiscal year ending 2 years later,
to one or more State safety projects.
``(2) Hardship exemption.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1),
if the Secretary determines, in accordance with criteria
established by the Secretary, that a transfer of funds under
paragraph (1) would result in hardship to a State in the fiscal
year in which the transfer would apply, the Secretary shall
defer the transfer until the subsequent fiscal year.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Motor vehicle.--The term `motor vehicle' means any
vehicle driven or drawn by mechanical power manufactured
primarily for use on public highways, except any vehicle
operated exclusively on a rail or rails.
``(2) Maximum speed limit highway.--The term `maximum speed
limit highway' means a highway subject to the speed limits
established under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a).
``(3) Safety project.--The term `safety project' means a
project carried out for the purpose of safety under this title,
including a project to promote the awareness and education of
the public concerning highway safety matters (including
motorcyclist safety) and to enforce highway safety laws.''.
(b) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall arrange with the
Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of
Sciences to conduct a comprehensive study and investigation of
the following:
(A) Benefits of the program.--The benefits, both
human and economic, of lowered speeds due to the
enactment of this Act, with particular attention to the
savings to taxpayers.
(B) Effectiveness of state enforcement.--Whether
the laws of each State constitute a substantial
deterrent to violations of the speed limit on maximum
speed limit highways.
(2) Report.--In entering into an arrangement with the
Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of
Sciences for conducting such study and investigation, the
Secretary shall request the Board to report to the Secretary
and Congress not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this Act on the results of such study and
investigation, together with its recommendations. The Secretary
shall furnish to the Board on request any information which the
Board considers necessary for the purpose of conducting the
investigation and study authorized by this section.
(c) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to
section 149 the following:
``150. National maximum speed limits.''.
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