I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2077 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from increasing minimum financial responsibility requirements established by Congress for motor carriers of passengers, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 28, 2015 

Mr. PERRY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from increasing minimum financial responsibility requirements established by Congress 

for motor carriers of passengers, 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. MINIMUM FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY RE4 QUIREMENTS FOR MOTOR CARRIERS OF PAS5 SENGERS. 

6 (a) PROHIBITION ON INCREASING MINIMUM LEVELS

7 ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS.—Section 31138 of title 49, 

8 United States Code, is amended— 


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1 (1) in subsection (a) in each of paragraphs (1) 

2 and (2) by striking ‘‘established by the Secretary’’ 

3 and inserting ‘‘set forth in subsection (b)’’; and 

4 (2) in subsection (b) by adding at the end the 

5 following: 

6 ‘‘The Secretary may not increase the minimum levels of 

7 financial responsibility set forth in this subsection.’’. 

8 (b) STUDY OF MINIMUM FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

9 REQUIREMENTS.—Section 31138 of such title is amended 

10 by adding at the end the following: 

11 ‘‘(f) MINIMUM FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY RE12 QUIREMENTS.— 

13 ‘‘(1) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a 

14 comprehensive study of the minimum financial re15 sponsibility requirements for motor carriers of pas16 sengers under this section. 

17 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The study shall include, at a 

18 minimum, an analysis of— 

19 ‘‘(A) the accident and claims histories of 

20 over-the-road bus and school bus transportation 

21 companies; 

22 ‘‘(B) the current range of financial respon23 sibility limits held by all sizes of over-the-road 

24 and private school bus companies; 


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1 ‘‘(C) a comparison of the financial respon2 sibility limits of publicly and privately provided 

3 school bus transportation service; 

4 ‘‘(D) a comparison of the financial respon5 sibility limits of a wide range of rural, small 

6 communities, urban public transit agencies, and 

7 private over-the-road bus companies; 

8 ‘‘(E) linkages, if any, between higher fi9 nancial responsibility limits and a decrease in 

10 passenger carrier crashes; 

11 ‘‘(F) the impact of an increase in financial 

12 responsibility limits on insurance premiums for 

13 passenger carriers; 

14 ‘‘(G) insurance and reinsurance industry 

15 capacity issues, including capitalization require16 ments to underwrite any increase in current 

17 minimum financial responsibility limits, to18 gether with financial estimations and likely 

19 sources of capital; 

20 ‘‘(H) the impact of an increase in current 

21 financial responsibility limits on the availability 

22 of over-the-road bus service; 

23 ‘‘(I) the impact of any increase in financial 

24 responsibility limits on the availability of pri25 vate school transportation service; 


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1 ‘‘(J) the impact of ‘limits pull’ of an in2 crease in financial responsibility limits; and 

3 ‘‘(K) the impact of an increase in financial 

4 responsibility limits on small- and medium-sized 

5 over-the-road and private school bus carriers. 

6 ‘‘(3) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the study, 

7 the Secretary shall consult with, at a minimum— 

8 ‘‘(A) representatives of the over-the-road 

9 bus and private school bus transportation in10 dustries; and 

11 ‘‘(B) a range of insurers and reinsurers of 

12 motor carriers of passengers. 

13 ‘‘(4) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 

14 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, 

15 the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 

16 Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 

17 Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 

18 Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 

19 on the results of the study.’’. 

Æ 


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