[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 617 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 617

  To ensure that owners of all motor vehicles in use on United States 
roadways are made aware of, and obtain repairs for, manufacturer-issued 
                   safety recalls in a timely manner.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 2, 2015

 Mr. Markey (for himself and Mr. Blumenthal) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To ensure that owners of all motor vehicles in use on United States 
roadways are made aware of, and obtain repairs for, manufacturer-issued 
                   safety recalls in a timely manner.

    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 ``Repairing Every Car to Avoid Lost 
Lives Act'' or the ``RECALL Act''.

SEC. 2. COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY RECALLS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 301 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 30129. Compliance with safety recalls
    ``(a) Prompt Notification of Automobile Safety Recalls.--A State is 
in compliance with this subsection if the agency responsible for motor 
vehicle registration in such State ensures, by searching the recall 
database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, using the motor vehicle identification number, that 
each registered owner of a motor vehicle registered in such State is 
notified of all safety recalls issued by the manufacturer of the 
vehicle--
            ``(1) in any case other than a case described in paragraph 
        (2), not later than the date on which the agency responsible 
        for motor vehicle registration in such State notifies such 
        registered owner of the need to renew the registered owner's 
        motor vehicle registration; or
            ``(2) in a case in which the motor vehicle owner is 
        applying, for the first time, to register a vehicle in the 
        State or in a case in which a safety recall occurs after the 
        date on which the registration renewal notice is sent to the 
        owner and before the State grants the renewal, not later than 
        the date on which the motor vehicle registration is completed.
    ``(b) Safety Recall Remedies To Be Completed Before Motor Vehicle 
Registration Renewals.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
        State is in compliance with this subsection if the State 
        requires, as a prerequisite for motor vehicle registration 
        renewal, that all motor vehicle owners complete all applicable 
        safety recalls.
            ``(2) Exception.--A State shall be in compliance with this 
        subsection if the State exempts a motor vehicle owner from the 
        requirement described in paragraph (1) in the following cases:
                    ``(A) The motor vehicle owner had not been notified 
                of the safety recall on or before the date on which the 
                owner was notified of the need to renew the motor 
                vehicle registration.
                    ``(B) The manufacturer, through a local dealership, 
                has not provided the motor vehicle owner with a 
                reasonable opportunity to complete any applicable 
                safety recall remedy due to a shortage of a necessary 
                part or qualified labor.
                    ``(C) The motor vehicle owner demonstrates to the 
                State that the owner has had no reasonable opportunity 
                to complete all applicable safety recall remedies, in 
                which case the State may grant a temporary 
                registration, of up to 60 days, during which time the 
                motor vehicle owner shall complete all applicable 
                safety recall remedies.
    ``(c) Withholding of Funds for Noncompliance.--On the first day of 
each fiscal year beginning at least 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
withhold, from each State that is not in compliance with subsections 
(a) and (b), 5 percent of the amount otherwise required to be 
apportioned to such State under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 
104(b) of title 23 for the purposes specified in such paragraphs.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 301 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 30128 the following:

``30129. Compliance with safety recalls.''.
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