I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4708 

To establish safety standards for certain limousines, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 16, 2019 

Mr. TONKO (for himself, Mr. DELGADO, and Ms. STEFANIK) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To establish safety standards for certain limousines, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safety, Accountability, 

5 and Federal Enforcement of Limos Act of 2019’’ or the 

6 ‘‘SAFE Limos Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

8 In this Act: 

9 (1) CERTIFIED VEHICLE.—The term ‘‘certified 

10 vehicle’’ means a motor vehicle that has been cer11 tified in accordance with section 567.4 or 567.5 of 


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1 title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to meet all ap2 plicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards. 

3 (2) INCOMPLETE VEHICLE.—The term ‘‘incom4 plete vehicle’’ has the meaning given such term in 

5 section 567.3 of title 49, Code of Federal Regula6 tions. 

7 (3) STRETCH LIMOUSINE.—The term ‘‘stretch 

8 limousine’’ means a new or used passenger motor ve9 hicle that has been altered in a manner that in10 creases the overall wheelbase of the vehicle, exceed11 ing the original equipment manufacturer’s wheelbase 

12 dimension for the base model and year of the vehi13 cle, in any amount sufficient to accommodate addi14 tional passengers with a seating capacity of not 

15 fewer than 9 passengers including the driver. 

16 (4) STRETCH LIMOUSINE ALTERER.—The term 

17 ‘‘stretch limousine alterer’’ means a person who al18 ters by addition, substitution, or removal of compo19 nents (other than readily attachable components) a 

20 certified passenger motor vehicle before or after the 

21 first purchase of the vehicle to produce a stretch 

22 limousine. 

23 (5) STRETCH LIMOUSINE OPERATOR.—The 

24 term ‘‘stretch limousine operator’’ means a person 


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1 who owns or leases and operates a stretch limousine 

2 in interstate commerce. 

3 (6) PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLE.—The term 

4 ‘‘passenger motor vehicle’’ has the meaning given 

5 that term in section 32101 of title 49, United States 

6 Code. 

7 (7) SAFETY BELT.—The term ‘‘safety belt’’ 

8 means an occupant restraint system consisting of in9 tegrated lap shoulder belts. 

10 (8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

11 the Secretary of Transportation. 

12 SEC. 3. STRETCH LIMOUSINE STANDARDS. 

13 (a) SAFETY BELT STANDARDS FOR STRETCH LIM14 OUSINES.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enact15 ment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe a final rule 

16 amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Num17 bers 208 to require safety belts to be installed in stretch 

18 limousines with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 

19 8,500 pounds at each designated seating position, includ20 ing on side-facing seats. 

21 (b) SEATING SYSTEM STANDARDS FOR STRETCH

22 LIMOUSINES.—Not later than 2 years after the date of 

23 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe a final 

24 rule amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 

25 Number 207 to require stretch limousines to meet standVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:48 Oct 23, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4708.IH H4708

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1 ards for seats (including side-facing seats), attachment as2 semblies, and installation to minimize the possibility of 

3 their failure by forces acting on them as a result of vehicle 

4 impact. 

5 (c) REPORT ON RETROFIT ASSESSMENT FOR

6 STRETCH LIMOUSINES.—Not later than 2 years after the 

7 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 

8 to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 

9 of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 

10 Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that 

11 assesses the feasibility, benefits, and costs with respect to 

12 the application of any requirement established under sub13 section (a) or (b) to a stretch limousine altered before the 

14 date on which the requirement applies to a new stretch 

15 limousine. 

16 (d) SAFETY STANDARDS FOR ALTERING USED VEHI17 CLES INTO STRETCH LIMOUSINES.—Not later than 1 year 

18 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

19 prescribe a final rule revising the regulations under section 

20 567.7 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to require 

21 a stretch limousine alterer to comply with the require22 ments for persons who alter certified vehicles. 


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1 SEC. 4. STRETCH LIMOUSINE COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL 

2 SAFETY STANDARDS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 301 of subtitle VI of title 

4 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after sec5 tion 30128 the following new section: 

6 ‘‘§ 30129. Stretch Limousine compliance with Federal 

7 safety standards 

8 ‘‘(a) GUIDELINES, BEST PRACTICES, AND REC9 OMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

10 of enactment of this section, and not less than every 4 

11 years thereafter, the Secretary shall develop and issue 

12 guidelines, best practices, and recommendations to assist 

13 a stretch limousine alterer to develop and administer the 

14 vehicle modifier plan required under subsection (c). 

15 ‘‘(b) PROCESS AND ANALYSIS.— 

16 ‘‘(1) NOTICE REQUIRED.—Not later than 2 

17 years after the date of enactment of this section, 

18 and as necessary thereafter, the Secretary shall pub19 lish a notice in the Federal Register that describes 

20 the process and analysis used for approving or deny21 ing a vehicle modifier plan submitted by a stretch 

22 limousine alterer. 

23 ‘‘(2) ELEMENTS.—The notice required under 

24 paragraph (1) shall include— 


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1 ‘‘(A) a description of the safety elements 

2 described in subsection (c) in a vehicle modifier 

3 plan; and 

4 ‘‘(B) a description of the process and cri5 terion that the Secretary will use for deter6 mining whether a vehicle modifier plan ensures 

7 that a stretch limousine meets applicable Fed8 eral motor vehicle safety standards. 

9 ‘‘(c) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 2 years after 

10 the Secretary has released the notice required by sub11 section (b), a new stretch limousine may not be offered 

12 for sale, lease, or rent, introduced or delivered for intro13 duction in interstate commerce, or imported into the 

14 United States unless the stretch limousine alterer has de15 veloped, and the Secretary has approved, a vehicle modi16 fier plan. A vehicle modifier plan includes the following 

17 safety elements: 

18 ‘‘(1) Design, quality control, manufacturing, 

19 and training practices adopted by a stretch lim20 ousine alterer to ensure that a stretch limousine 

21 complies with Federal motor vehicle safety stand22 ards. 

23 ‘‘(2) Customer support guidelines, including in24 structions for stretch limousine occupants to wear 

25 seatbelts and stretch limousine operators to notify 


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1 occupants of the date and results of the most recent 

2 inspection of the stretch limousine. 

3 ‘‘(3) Any other safety elements that the Sec4 retary determines to be necessary. 

5 ‘‘(d) VEHICLE MODIFIER PLAN.— 

6 ‘‘(1) APPLICATION.—A stretch limousine alterer 

7 shall submit to the Secretary an application for ap8 proval of a vehicle modifier plan in such a form, at 

9 such a time, and containing the information required 

10 to be included in the notice published pursuant to 

11 subsection (b). A vehicle modifier plan required 

12 under subsection (a) may be approved for not more 

13 than 4 years after the date on which the plan is ap14 proved. 

15 ‘‘(2) REVIEW.—The Secretary may approve a 

16 vehicle modifier plan submitted under paragraph (1) 

17 on a finding that the plan ensures that a stretch 

18 limousine will meet Federal motor vehicle safety 

19 standards. 

20 ‘‘(3) TIMELY CONSIDERATION OF APPLICA21 TIONS.—The Secretary shall approve or reject a ve22 hicle modifier plan not later than 1 year after receiv23 ing an application from a stretch limousine alterer. 

24 ‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 ‘‘(1) INCOMPLETE VEHICLE.—The term ‘incom2 plete vehicle’ has the meaning given such term in 

3 section 567.3 of title 49, Code of Federal Regula4 tions. 

5 ‘‘(2) STRETCH LIMOUSINE.—The term ‘stretch 

6 limousine’ means a new or used passenger motor ve7 hicle that has been altered in a manner that in8 creases the overall wheelbase of the vehicle, exceed9 ing the original equipment manufacturer’s wheelbase 

10 dimension for the base model and year of the vehi11 cle, in any amount sufficient to accommodate addi12 tional passengers with a seating capacity of not 

13 fewer than 9 passengers including the driver. 

14 ‘‘(3) STRETCH LIMOUSINE ALTERER.—The 

15 term ‘stretch limousine alterer’ means a person who 

16 alters by addition, substitution, or removal of com17 ponents (other than readily attachable components) 

18 an incomplete vehicle or a certified passenger motor 

19 vehicle before or after the first purchase of the vehi20 cle to produce a stretch limousine. 

21 ‘‘(4) PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLE.—The term 

22 ‘passenger motor vehicle’ has the meaning given that 

23 term in section 32101.’’. 


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1 (b) ENFORCEMENT.—Section 30165(a)(1) of title 49, 

2 United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘30129,’’ 

3 after ‘‘30127,’’. 

4 SEC. 5. STRETCH LIMOUSINE CRASHWORTHINESS. 

5 (a) RESEARCH.—Not later than 4 years after the 

6 date of enactment, the Secretary shall complete research 

7 into side impact protection, roof crush resistance, and air 

8 bag systems for the protection of occupants in stretch lim9 ousines given alternative seating positions or interior con10 figurations, including perimeter seating arrangements. 

11 (b) RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS.—In conducting the 

12 research required under subsection (a), the Secretary 

13 shall— 

14 (1) develop one or more tests to evaluate side 

15 impact protection, roof crush resistance, and air bag 

16 systems of stretch limousines; 

17 (2) determine metrics that would be most effec18 tive at evaluating the side impact protection, roof 

19 crush resistance, and air bag systems of stretch lim20 ousines; and 

21 (3) determine criteria to assure the stretch lim22 ousines are protecting occupants in any alternative 

23 seating positions or interior configurations. 

24 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 5 years after the date 

25 of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a reVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:48 Oct 23, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4708.IH H4708

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1 port describing the findings of the research required under 

2 this section to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

3 of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

4 Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 

5 (d) VEHICLE MODIFIER PLANS.—The Secretary shall 

6 incorporate the findings of the research conducted under 

7 this section into the guidelines required under section 

8 30129(a) of title 49 and the process and analysis required 

9 under section 30129(b) of title 49, United States Code, 

10 as added by section 4(a). 

11 (e) CRASHWORTHINESS STANDARDS.—The Secretary 

12 shall issue final motor vehicle safety standards for side 

13 impact protection, roof crush resistance, and air bag sys14 tems for stretch limousines if the Secretary determines 

15 that such standards meet the requirements and consider16 ations set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of section 30111 

17 of title 49, United States Code. 

18 SEC. 6. STRETCH LIMOUSINE EVACUATION. 

19 (a) RESEARCH.—Not later than 2 years after the 

20 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor21 tation shall complete research into safety features and 

22 standards that aid egress and regress in the event that 

23 one exit in the passenger compartment of a stretch lim24 ousine is blocked. 


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1 (b) STANDARDS.—Not later than 3 years after the 

2 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue 

3 stretch limousine evacuation standards based on the re4 sults of the Secretary’s research. 

5 SEC. 7. STRETCH LIMOUSINE INSPECTION DISCLOSURE. 

6 (a) STRETCH LIMOUSINE INSPECTION DISCLO7 SURE.—A stretch limousine operator introducing a stretch 

8 limousine into interstate commerce may not deploy for 

9 commercial use a stretch limousine unless the stretch lim10 ousine operator has prominently disclosed in a clear and 

11 conspicuous notice, including on its website to the extent 

12 the stretch limousine operator uses a website, that in13 cludes— 

14 (1) the date of the most recent inspection of the 

15 stretch limousine required under State or Federal 

16 law; 

17 (2) the results of the inspection; and 

18 (3) any corrective action taken by the stretch 

19 limousine operator to ensure the stretch limousine 

20 passed inspection. 

21 (b) FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ENFORCE22 MENT.—A violation of subsection (a) shall be treated as 

23 a an unfair or deceptive act or practice within the meaning 

24 of section 5(a)(1) of the Federal Trade Commission Act 

25 (15 U.S.C. 45(a)(1)). The Federal Trade Commission 


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1 shall enforce this section in the same manner, by the same 

2 means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties 

3 as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Fed4 eral Trade Commission Act were incorporated into and 

5 made a part of this Act. 

6 (c) SAVINGS PROVISION.—Nothing in this section 

7 shall be construed to limit the authority of the Federal 

8 Trade commission under any other provision of law. 

9 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 

10 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 

11 SEC. 8. EVENT DATA RECORDERS FOR STRETCH LIM12 OUSINES. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 

14 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting 

15 through the Administrator of the National Highway Traf16 fic Safety Administration, shall issue a final rule requiring 

17 the use of event data recorders for stretch limousines. 

18 (b) PRIVACY PROTECTIONS.—Any standard promul19 gated under subsection (a) pertaining to event data re20 corder information shall comply with the collection and 

21 sharing requirements under the FAST Act (Public Law 

22 114–94). 

Æ 


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