[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 259 Introduced in House (IH)]







111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 259

To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish national standards 
for State safety inspections of motor vehicles, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 7, 2009

   Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas introduced the following bill; which was 
     referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish national standards 
for State safety inspections of 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 ``Michael Jon Newkirk Transportation 
Safety Enhancement Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. STATE SAFETY INSPECTIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter I of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 167. State safety inspections of motor vehicles
    ``(a) Withholding of Apportionments for Noncompliance.--
            ``(1) Fiscal year 2012.--On October 1, 2011, the Secretary 
        shall withhold 5 percent of the amount required to be 
        apportioned to a State on that date under each of paragraphs 
        (1), (3), and (4) of section 104(b) if the State does not meet 
        the requirements of paragraph (3) on that date.
            ``(2) Thereafter.--On October 1, 2012, and on the first day 
        of each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary shall withhold 10 
        percent of the amount required to be apportioned to a State on 
        that date under each of paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of section 
        104(b) if the State does not meet the requirements of paragraph 
        (3) on that date.
            ``(3) Requirement.--A State meets the requirements of this 
        paragraph if the State has enacted and is enforcing a law that 
        requires the owner of a motor vehicle (as such term is defined 
        in section 154(a)) registered in the State to present the 
        vehicle for inspection on an annual basis to ensure that the 
        vehicle meets or exceeds motor vehicle safety standards to be 
        established by the State. At a minimum, such standards shall 
        ensure that the seatbelts and speedometer installed in the 
        vehicle are operable.
    ``(b) Apportionment of Withheld Funds After Compliance.--
            ``(1) Period of availability of withheld funds.--
                    ``(A) Funds withheld on or before september 30, 
                2013.--Any funds withheld under subsection (a) from 
                apportionment to any State on or before September 30, 
                2013, 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, 2013.--No 
                funds withheld under this section from apportionment to 
                any State after September 30, 2013, shall be available 
                for apportionment to the State.
            ``(2) Apportionment.--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 such chapter is amended 
by adding at the end the following:

``167. State safety inspections of motor vehicles.''.
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