[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43809-43810]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19906]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2006-26367]


Medical Review Board (MRB) Meeting: Public Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Announcement of advisory committee public meeting.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces a meeting of its Medical Review Board (MRB) on 
Tuesday and Wednesday, September 26-27, 2017. The MRB will make 
recommendations to the Agency on the revision of the Agency's handbook 
for medical examiners (ME) who are on the National Registry of 
Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry), for their use in 
evaluating interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers for a 
medical qualification determination. Additionally, the MRB will review 
the Agency's current advisory and exemption program criteria concerning 
individuals taking anti-seizure medication and identify factors the 
Agency should consider for potential regulatory actions that would 
eliminate the need for granting exemptions. The meeting is open to the 
public for its entirety. The public will be allowed to comment during 
the proceedings.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 26-
27, 2017, from 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (E.T.), at 
the FMCSA National Training Center, 1310 N. Courthouse Road, Arlington, 
VA, 6th Floor. Copies of the task statement and an agenda for the 
entire meeting will be made available in advance of the meeting at 
www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mrb.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Shannon L. Watson, Senior Advisor 
to the Associate Administrator for Policy, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-5221, [email protected].

Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Eran Segev at (617) 494-3174, [email protected], by Wednesday, 
September 20.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 43810]]

I. Background

    The MRB is composed of five medical experts who each serve two-year 
terms. Section 4116 of SAFETEA-LU requires the Secretary of 
Transportation, with the advice of the MRB and the chief medical 
examiner, to establish, review, and revise ``medical standards for 
operators of commercial motor vehicles that will ensure that the 
physical condition of operators of commercial motor vehicles is 
adequate to enable them to operate the vehicles safely.'' The MRB 
operates in accordance with FACA under the terms of its charter, filed 
November 25, 2015.
    On January 15, 2013, FMCSA announced in a Notice of Final 
Disposition entitled, Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; 
Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders, (78 FR 3069), its decision to grant 
requests from 22 individuals for exemptions from the regulatory 
requirement that interstate CMV drivers have ``no established medical 
history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which 
is likely to cause loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to 
control a CMV.'' Since the January 15, 2013, notice, the Agency has 
published additional notices granting requests from individuals for 
exemptions from the regulatory requirement regarding epilepsy found in 
49 CFR 391.41(b)(8).
    In reaching the decision to grant exemption requests, FMCSA 
considers the 2007 recommendations of the Agency's Medical Expert Panel 
(MEP). The January 15, 2013, Federal Register notice (78 FR 3069) 
provides the current MEP recommendations, which is the criteria the 
Agency uses to grant seizure exemptions.
    The Agency's decision regarding exemption applications is based on 
an individualized assessment of each applicant's medical information, 
including the following: The root cause of the respective seizure(s) 
and medical information about the applicant's seizure history; the 
length of time that has elapsed since the individual's last seizure; 
the stability of each individual's treatment regimen; and the duration 
of time on or off anti-seizure medication. In addition, the Agency 
reviews the treating clinician's medical opinion related to the ability 
of the driver to operate a CMV safely with a history of seizure and 
each applicant's driving record found in the Commercial Driver's 
License Information System (CDLIS) for commercial driver's license 
(CDL) holders, and interstate and intrastate inspections recorded in 
the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). For non-CDL 
holders, the Agency reviews the driving records from the State Driver's 
Licensing Agencies (SDLAs).

II. Meeting Participation

    Oral comments from the public will be heard during the meeting, at 
the discretion of the Chairman. Members of the public may submit 
written comments on the topics to be considered during the meeting by 
Wednesday, September 20, to Federal Docket Management System (FDMC) 
Docket Number FMCSA-2008-0362 for the MRB using any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., E.T. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

    Issued on: September 13, 2017.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2017-19906 Filed 9-18-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P