[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 110 (Thursday, June 6, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28747-28750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14258]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Federal Highway Administration

23 CFR Part 1215

[Docket No. 92-40; Notice 3]
RIN 2127-AG23


Use of Safety Belts and Motorcycle Helmets; Compliance and 
Transfer-of-Funds Procedures

AGENCIES: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and 
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule implements portions of the National Highway System 
Designation Act of 1995 that changed the transfer-of-funds provisions 
contained in section 153 of title 23, United States Code. As amended, 
section 153 subjects a State to a transfer of funds apportioned under 
its Federal-aid highway programs to its apportionment under the section 
402

[[Page 28748]]

highway safety program if the State fails to enact safety belt use 
legislation. There is no longer a requirement that a State also enact 
motorcycle helmet use legislation in order to avoid the transfer of 
funds. Maine and New Hampshire are provided alternative compliance 
criteria to avoid the transfer of funds. This rule amends the existing 
regulation concerning determinations of compliance and transfers of 
funds to reflect these statutory changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 6, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: In NHTSA, Gary Butler, Office of State 
and Community Services, Room 5238, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW, 
Washington, D.C., 20590 (202-366-2674) or John Donaldson, Office of the 
Chief Counsel, Room 5219, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, 
D.C., 20590 (202-366-1834). In FHWA, Mila Plosky, Office of Highway 
Safety, Room 3407, FHWA, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, D.C., 
20590 (202-366-6902) or Raymond Cuprill, Office of the Chief Counsel, 
Room 4217, FHWA, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, D.C., 20590 (202-
366-0834).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On November 28, 1995, Congress enacted the National Highway System 
Designation Act of 1995 (NHS), Pub. Law 104-59. Section 205(e) of the 
NHS amended Section 153(h) of title 23, United States Code, changing 
the circumstances giving rise to a transfer of funds. Prior to the 
amendment, Section 153(h) provided that a State that failed to put into 
effect both motorcycle helmet use and safety belt use legislation would 
be subject to a transfer of certain funds apportioned under the State's 
Federal-aid highway programs to its apportionment under the Section 402 
program. Section 205(e) of the NHS removed the requirement that a State 
must enact motorcycle helmet use legislation in order to avoid the 
transfer of funds. As amended, Section 153 continues to require State 
enactment of safety belt use legislation, and provides for a transfer 
of funds if a State does not maintain in effect ``a law which makes 
unlawful throughout the State the operation of a passenger vehicle 
whenever an individual in a front seat of the vehicle (other than a 
child who is secured in a child restraint system) does not have a 
safety belt properly fastened about the individual's body.''
    Section 205(e) of the NHS has an effective date of September 30, 
1995. Under 23 U.S.C. 153(h)(2), as amended by section 205(e), the 
transfer provision remains the same as before, but applies only in the 
absence of safety belt use legislation. (A parallel amendment to 23 
U.S.C. 153(h)(1) is not treated in this notice as it has no 
applicability beyond FY 1995.) A State failing to have in effect a 
safety belt use law throughout a fiscal year will experience a 
transfer, in the succeeding fiscal year, of three percent of the funds 
apportioned to the State's Federal-aid highway programs under each of 
subsections 104(b)(1), (b)(2), and (b)(3) of title 23, United States 
Code, to the State's highway safety program apportionment under section 
402 of that title.
    In accordance with the provisions of Section 205(e) of the NHS, 
today's notice removes all references and requirements concerning 
motorcycle helmet use legislation from the regulation implementing 
Section 153. In addition, outdated provisions concerning previous 
fiscal years are deleted, consistent with the President's direction 
that the nation's regulatory system be overhauled and streamlined. 
Other portions of the regulation, including those describing compliance 
criteria and exemptions (insofar as they apply to safety belt use 
legislation) and the purposes for which transferred funds may be used 
remain unchanged.
    Section 355 of the NHS created alternative compliance criteria 
available only to the States of New Hampshire and Maine, by which these 
States might avoid a transfer of funds due to non-compliance with the 
provisions of 23 U.S.C. 153. Section 355 provides that New Hampshire 
and Maine are each to be deemed in compliance with Section 153 upon 
certification by the Secretary of Transportation that the State has 
achieved a safety belt use rate ``in each of fiscal years 1995 and 
1996, of not less than 50 percent'' and ``in each fiscal year 
thereafter of not less than the national average safety belt use rate, 
as determined by the Secretary.'' Section 355 additionally provides 
that if New Hampshire or Maine ``continues in effect'' a safety belt 
use law within 60 days after the section's enactment, the State is to 
be treated as if the law were in effect as of September 30, 1995. 
(Maine has enacted legislation satisfying this timeliness requirement, 
and will not be subject to the safety belt use rate requirements 
provided the legislation is continued in effect.) Finally, Section 355 
provides for a reservation of funds prior to the transfer. These 
alternative compliance criteria and procedures are also addressed in 
today's notice.

Rulemaking Analyses and Notices

(a) Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review) and DOT 
Regulatory Policies and Procedures

    The agencies have not reviewed this rulemaking document under 
Executive Order 12866. This action has been determined to be not 
``significant'' under the Department of Transportation's regulatory 
policies and procedures.

(b) Regulatory Flexibility Act (Pub. L. 96-354)

    In compliance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, the agencies 
have evaluated the effects of this action on small entities, and 
certify that this action will not have a significant economic impact on 
a substantial number of small entities. Accordingly, the preparation of 
a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is unnecessary.

(c) Executive Order 12612 (Federalism Assessment)

    The agencies have analyzed this action in accordance with Executive 
Order 12612, and have determined that it does not have federalism 
implications warranting the preparation of a federalism assessment. The 
action implements new legislation which reduces Federal requirements 
imposed on the States.

(d) Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)

    This action does not affect a collection of information 
requirement, for purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

(e) National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)

    The agencies have reviewed this action for purposes of the National 
Environmental Policy Act, and determined that it will not have a 
significant effect on the quality of the human environment.

(f) Executive Order 12778 (Civil Justice Reform)

    This action does not have any preemptive effect, and the only 
retroactive effect is one that removes a Federal requirement. It 
imposes no requirements on the States, but rather deletes provisions 
that are obsolete and removes restrictions on the States that have been 
rescinded by new legislation. The enabling legislation does not 
establish a procedure for judicial review of final rules promulgated 
under its provisions. There is no requirement that individuals pursue 
administrative remedies prior to filing suit in court.

[[Page 28749]]

(g) Notice and Comment

    The agencies find that prior notice and opportunity for comment are 
unnecessary under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) because the agencies are not 
exercising discretion in a way that could be meaningfully affected by 
public comment. The amendments made by this action merely remove 
restrictions on the States, as mandated by new legislation, and delete 
provisions that are obsolete. Therefore, notice and opportunity for 
comment are not required under the regulatory policies and procedures 
of the Department of Transportation. In addition, good cause exists to 
dispense with the 30-day delayed effective date requirement of 5 U.S.C. 
553(d) because this final rule ``grants or recognizes an exemption or 
relieves a restriction'' in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1).

List of Subjects in 23 CFR Part 1215

    Grant programs--Transportation, Highway safety.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, Part 1215 of Title 23 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations is amended to read as follows:

PART 1215--USE OF SAFETY BELTS AND MOTORCYCLE HELMETS--COMPLIANCE 
AND TRANSFER-OF-FUNDS PROCEDURES

    1. The authority citation for part 1215 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 153; Secs. 205(e) and 355, Pub. L. 104-59; 
delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.48 and 1.50.

    2. The heading to part 1215 is revised to read as follows:

PART 1215--USE OF SAFETY BELTS--COMPLIANCE AND TRANSFER-OF-FUNDS 
PROCEDURES

    3. Section 1215.1 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1215.1  Scope.

    This part establishes criteria, in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 153, 
as amended, and Section 355 of the National Highway System Designation 
Act of 1995, for determining compliance with the requirement that 
States not having safety belt use laws be subject to a transfer of 
Federal-aid highway apportionments under 23 U.S.C. 104 (b)(1), (b)(2), 
and (b)(3) to the highway safety program apportionment under 23 U.S.C. 
402.
    4. Section 1215.2 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1215.2  Purpose.

    This part clarifies the provisions which a State must incorporate 
into its safety belt law to prevent the transfer of a portion of its 
Federal-aid highway funds to the section 402 highway safety program 
apportionment, describes notification and transfer procedures, 
establishes parameters for the use of transferred funds, and provides 
alternate compliance criteria for New Hampshire and Maine.
    5. In Sec. 1215.3, the definition of ``motorcycle'' is removed and 
a new definition is added after the definition of ``safety belt,'' to 
read as follows:


Sec. 1215.3  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation.
    6. Section 1215.4 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1215.4  Compliance criteria.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) or (d) of this section, in 
order to avoid the transfer or reservation (as applicable) specified in 
Sec. 1215.7, a State must have and continue in effect at all times 
during the fiscal year a law which makes unlawful throughout the State 
the operation of a passenger vehicle whenever an individual in a front 
seat of the vehicle (other than a child who is secured in a child 
restraint system) does not have a safety belt properly fastened about 
the individual's body.
    (b) A State that enacts the law specified in paragraph (a) of this 
section will be determined to comply with 23 U.S.C. 153, provided that 
any exemptions are consistent with Sec. 1215.5.
    (c) If New Hampshire or Maine enacts a law described in paragraph 
(a) of this section by January 27, 1996, the State shall be deemed as 
having that law in effect on September 30, 1995.
    (d)(1) If the Secretary certifies in a fiscal year that New 
Hampshire or Maine has achieved the safety belt use rate specified in 
paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the State shall be considered as 
complying with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section.
    (2) The safety belt use rate must be not less than 50 percent in 
each of fiscal years 1995 and 1996, and not less than the national 
average as determined by the Secretary in each fiscal year thereafter.
    7. Section 1215.5 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1215.5  Exemptions.

    (a) Safety belt use laws exempting persons with medical excuses, 
persons in emergency vehicles, persons in the custody of police, 
persons in public and livery conveyances, persons in parade vehicles, 
persons in positions not equipped with safety belts, and postal, 
utility and other commercial drivers who make frequent stops in the 
course of their business shall be deemed to comply with 23 U.S.C. 153.
    (b) Safety belt use laws exempting vehicles equipped with air bags 
shall be deemed not to comply with 23 U.S.C. 153.
    (c) An exemption not identified in paragraph (a) of this section 
shall be deemed to comply with 23 U.S.C. 153 only if NHTSA and FHWA 
determine that it is consistent with the intent of Sec. 1215.4(a), and 
applies to situations in which the risk to occupants is very low or in 
which there are exigent justifications.
    8. Section 1215.6 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1215.6  Review and notification of compliance status.

    Review of each State's laws and notification of compliance status 
shall occur each fiscal year, in accordance with the following 
procedures:
    (a) NHTSA and FHWA will review appropriate State laws for 
compliance with 23 U.S.C. 153. States initially found to be in non-
compliance will be notified of such finding and of funds expected to be 
transferred or reserved (as applicable) under Sec. 1215.7, through the 
advance notice of apportionments required under 23 U.S.C. 104(e), 
normally not later than ninety days prior to final apportionment.
    (b) A State notified of non-compliance under paragraph (a) of this 
section may, within 30 days after its receipt of the advance notice of 
apportionments, submit documentation showing why it is in compliance to 
the Associate Administrator for State and Community Services, NHTSA, 
400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, D.C., 20950.
    (c) Each fiscal year, States determined to be in non-compliance 
with 23 U.S.C. 153 will receive notice of the funds being transferred 
or reserved (as applicable) under Sec. 1215.7, through the 
certification of apportionments required under 23 U.S.C. 104(e), 
normally on October 1.
    9. Section 1215.7 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1215.7  Transfer of funds

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, if at any 
time in a fiscal year beginning after September 30, 1994, a State does 
not have in effect a law described in Sec. 1215.4(a), the Secretary 
shall transfer 3 percent of the funds apportioned to the State for the 
succeeding fiscal year under 23 U.S.C. 104 (b)(1), (b)(2) and (b)(3) to 
the apportionment of the State under 23 U.S.C. 402.

[[Page 28750]]

    (b) For New Hampshire or Maine, except as provided in 
Sec. 1215.4(c), if at any time in a fiscal year beginning after 
September 30, 1994, the State does not have in effect a law described 
in Sec. 1215.4(a), the Secretary shall reserve 3 percent of the funds 
to be apportioned to the State for the succeeding fiscal year under 23 
U.S.C. 104 (b)(1), (b)(2) and (b)(3) if the Secretary has not 
certified, in accordance with Sec. 1215.4(d), that the State has 
achieved the applicable safety belt use rate.
    (c) If, at the end of a fiscal year in which the funds are reserved 
for New Hampshire or Maine under paragraph (b) of this section, the 
Secretary has not certified that the State achieved the applicable 
safety belt use rate, the Secretary shall transfer the funds reserved 
from the State to the apportionment of the State under 23 U.S.C. 402.
    (d) Any obligation limitation existing on transferred funds prior 
to the transfer will apply, proportionately, to those funds after 
transfer.

    Issued on: May 31, 1996.
Rodney E. Slater,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
Ricardo Martinez,
Adminstrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[FR Doc. 96-14258 Filed 6-5-96; 8:45 am]
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