[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 5 (Monday, January 26, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S251-S252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DeWine:
  S. 2027. A bill to amend title 23 and 49, United States Code, to 
improve national highway traffic safety through improved motor vehicle 
driver education and licensing programs, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2027

       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 ``Driver Education and 
     Licensing Improvement Act of 2004''.

     SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR SUPPORT OF ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVING 
                   COUNTERMEASURES.

       (a) Revised Eligibility Requirements.--Subparagraph (D) of 
     section 410(b)(1) 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, at a 
     minimum, authorizes the issuance of an initial license or 
     learner's permit to a driver no earlier than the driver's 
     16th birthday, makes it unlawful for a person under age 21 to 
     operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 
     .02 percent or greater, provides for a learning stage of at 
     least six months and an intermediate stage of at least 6 
     months, and applies the following restrictions and features 
     to such stages and to such other stage or stages as may be 
     provided under State law:
       ``(i) A restriction that no more than 2 passengers 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 o'clock post meridiem 
     and 5:00 o'clock ante meridiem.
       ``(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.''
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall take effect one year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.

     SEC. 3. NATIONAL OFFICE OF DRIVER TRAINING.

       Section 105 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(f)(1) There is a National Office of Driver Training in 
     the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
       ``(2) The head of the National Office of Driver Training is 
     the Director.
       ``(3) The functions of the National Office of Driver 
     Training are as follows:
       ``(A) To provide States with services for coordinating the 
     motor vehicle driver training and licensing programs of the 
     States.
       ``(B) To develop and make available to the States a 
     recommended motor vehicle driver education and licensing 
     curriculum that incorporates the best practices in driver 
     education and licensing, and to carry out such research 
     (pursuant to cooperative agreements or otherwise) and 
     undertake such other activities as the Director determines 
     appropriate to develop and, on an ongoing basis, improve the 
     recommended curriculum.
       ``(C) To provide States with technical assistance for the 
     implementation of the motor vehicle driver education and 
     licensing curriculum recommended under subparagraph (B).
       ``(D) To 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.
       ``(E) To provide States with financial assistance under 
     section 30201 of this title for--
       ``(i) the implementation of the motor vehicle driver 
     education and licensing curriculum 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.
       ``(F) To perform such other functions relating to motor 
     vehicle driver education or licensing as the Secretary may 
     require.''

     SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR IMPROVEMENT OF DRIVER EDUCATION AND 
                   LICENSING.

       (a) Authority.--Part A of subtitle VI of title 49, United 
     States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 301 the 
     following new chapter:

                  ``CHAPTER 302--OTHER DRIVER PROGRAMS

``Sec.
``30201. Driver education and licensing: grant assistance.

     ``Sec. 30201. Driver education and licensing: grant 
       assistance

       ``(a) Authority.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
     to provide States, by grant, with financial assistance to 
     support the improvement of motor vehicle driver education 
     programs and the establishment and improved administration of 
     graduated licensing systems, including systems described in 
     section 410(b)(1)(D) of title 23.
       ``(2) Administrative office.--The Secretary shall 
     administer the program under this section through the 
     Director of the National Office of Driver Training.
       ``(b) Eligibility Requirements.--
       ``(1) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe in 
     regulations the eligibility requirements, application and 
     approval procedures and standards, and authorized uses of 
     grant proceeds for the grant program under this section. The 
     regulations shall, at a minimum, authorize use of grant 
     proceeds for the following activities:
       ``(A) Quality assurance testing.
       ``(B) Improvement of motor vehicle driver education 
     curricula.
       ``(C) Training of instructors for motor vehicle driver 
     education programs.
       ``(D) Monitoring and evaluation of the motor vehicle driver 
     performance of graduates of motor vehicle driver education 
     programs.
       ``(E) Testing and evaluation of motor vehicle driver 
     performance.
       ``(F) Public education and outreach regarding motor vehicle 
     driver education and licensing.
       ``(G) Improvements with respect to State graduated 
     licensing programs, as well as related enforcement 
     activities.
       ``(2) Consultation requirement.--In prescribing the 
     regulations, the Secretary shall consult with the following:
       ``(A) The Administrator of the National Highway Traffic 
     Safety Administration.
       ``(B) The heads of such other departments and agencies of 
     the United States as the Secretary considers appropriate on 
     the basis of relevant interests or expertise.
       ``(C) Appropriate officials of the governments of States 
     and political subdivisions of States.
       ``(D) Representatives of private sector organizations 
     recognized for relevant expertise.
       ``(c) Maximum Amount of Grant.--The maximum amount of a 
     grant of financial assistance for a program, project, or 
     activity under this section may not exceed 75 percent of the 
     total cost of such program, project, or activity.''
       (b) Time for Promulgation of Regulations.--The Secretary of 
     Transportation shall promulgate the regulations under section 
     30201(b) of title 49, United States Code (as added by 
     subsection (a)), not later than October 1, 2004.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Funds are authorized 
     to be appropriated for carrying out section 30201(b) of title 
     49, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), for 
     fiscal years and in amounts as follows:
       (1) For fiscal year 2005, $20,000,000.
       (2) For fiscal year 2006, $22,000,000.
       (3) For fiscal year 2007, $24,000,000.
       (4) For fiscal year 2008, $26,000,000.
       (5) For fiscal year 2009, $28,000,000.
       (6) For fiscal year 2010, $30,000,000.

     SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS OF ORGAN DONATION 
                   THROUGH DRIVER LICENSING PROGRAMS.

       (a) Authority.--
       (1) In general.--Chapter 302 of title 49, United States 
     Code (as added by section 4), is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new section:

     ``SEC. 30202. ORGAN DONATION THROUGH DRIVER LICENSING: GRANT 
                   ASSISTANCE.

       ``(a) Authority.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
     to provide eligible recipients, by grant, with financial 
     assistance to carry out campaigns to increase public 
     awareness of, and training on, authority and procedures under 
     State law to provide for the donation of organs through a 
     declaration recorded on a motor vehicle driver license.
       ``(2) Administrative office.--The Secretary shall 
     administer the program under this section through the 
     Director of the National Office of Driver Training.
       ``(b) Eligibility Requirements.--

[[Page S252]]

       ``(1) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe in 
     regulations the eligibility requirements, application and 
     approval procedures and standards, and authorized uses of 
     grant proceeds for the grant program under this section.
       ``(2) Consultation requirement.--In prescribing the 
     regulations, the Secretary shall consult with the following:
       ``(A) The Administrator of the National Highway Traffic 
     Safety Administration.
       ``(B) The heads of such other departments and agencies of 
     the United States as the Secretary considers appropriate on 
     the basis of relevant interests or expertise.
       ``(C) Appropriate officials of the governments of States 
     and political subdivisions of States.
       ``(D) Representatives of private sector organizations 
     recognized for relevant expertise.''
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new item:

``30202. Organ donation through driver licensing: grant assistance.''.

       (b) Time for Promulgation of Regulations.--The Secretary of 
     Transportation shall promulgate the regulations under section 
     30202(b) of title 49, United States Code (as added by 
     subsection (a)), not later than October 1, 2004.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Funds are authorized 
     to be appropriated for carrying out section 30201(b) of title 
     49, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), for 
     fiscal years and in amounts as follows:
       (1) For fiscal year 2005, $4,000,000.
       (2) For fiscal year 2006, $4,000,000.
       (3) For fiscal year 2007, $4,000,000.
       (4) For fiscal year 2008, $4,000,000
       (5) For fiscal year 2009, $4,000,000.
       (6) For fiscal year 2010, $4,000,000.

     SEC. 6. STUDY OF NATIONAL DRIVER EDUCATION STANDARDS.

       (a) Requirement for Study.--The Secretary of Transportation 
     shall carry out a study to determine whether the 
     establishment and imposition of nationwide minimum standards 
     of motor vehicle driver education would improve national 
     highway traffic safety.
       (b) Time for Completion of Study.--The Secretary shall 
     complete the study not later than two years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act.
       (c) Report.--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.
                                 ______