II 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2027

To amend titles 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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 26, 2004

Mr. DEWINE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL

To amend titles 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.

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 ‘‘Driver Education and 

5 Licensing Improvement Act of 2004’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR SUPPORT OF ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED 

2 DRIVING COUNTERMEASURES. 

3 (a) REVISED ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—Sub4 paragraph (D) of section 410(b)(1) of title 23, United 

5 States Code, is amended to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘(D) GRADUATED LICENSING SYSTEM.—A 

7 multiple-stage graduated licensing system for 

8 young drivers that, at a minimum, authorizes 

9 the issuance of an initial license or learner’s 

10 permit to a driver no earlier than the driver’s 

11 16th birthday, makes it unlawful for a person 

12 under age 21 to operate a motor vehicle with a 

13 blood alcohol concentration of .02 percent or 

14 greater, provides for a learning stage of at least 

15 six months and an intermediate stage of at 

16 least 6 months, and applies the following re17 strictions and features to such stages and to 

18 such other stage or stages as may be provided 

19 under State law: 

20 ‘‘(i) A restriction that no more than 2 

21 passengers may occupy a vehicle while it is 

22 being operated by a young driver. 

23 ‘‘(ii) Nighttime driving restrictions 

24 applicable, at a minimum, during the 

25 hours between 10:00 o’clock post meridiem 

26 and 5:00 o’clock ante meridiem. 
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1 ‘‘(iii) Special penalties (including 

2 delays in progression through the stages of 

3 the graduated licensing system) for viola4 tions of restrictions under the system and 

5 violations of other State laws relating to 

6 operation of motor vehicles.’’. 

7 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

8 subsection (a) shall take effect one year after the date of 

9 the enactment of this Act. 

10 SEC. 3. NATIONAL OFFICE OF DRIVER TRAINING. 

11 Section 105 of title 49, United States Code, is 

12 amended by adding at the end the following new sub13 section: 

14 ‘‘(f)(1) There is a National Office of Driver Training 

15 in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

16 ‘‘(2) The head of the National Office of Driver Train17 ing is the Director. 

18 ‘‘(3) The functions of the National Office of Driver 

19 Training are as follows: 

20 ‘‘(A) To provide States with services for coordi21 nating the motor vehicle driver training and licens22 ing programs of the States. 

23 ‘‘(B) To develop and make available to the 

24 States a recommended motor vehicle driver edu25 cation and licensing curriculum that incorporates the 
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1 best practices in driver education and licensing, and 

2 to carry out such research (pursuant to cooperative 

3 agreements or otherwise) and undertake such other 

4 activities as the Director determines appropriate to 

5 develop and, on an ongoing basis, improve the rec6 ommended curriculum. 

7 ‘‘(C) To provide States with technical assist8 ance for the implementation of the motor vehicle 

9 driver education and licensing curriculum rec10 ommended under subparagraph (B). 

11 ‘‘(D) To develop and recommend to the States 

12 methods for harmonizing the presentation of motor 

13 vehicle driver education and licensing with the re14 quirements of multistage graduated licensing sys15 tems, including systems described in section 

16 410(b)(1)(D) of title 23. 

17 ‘‘(E) To provide States with financial assistance 

18 under section 30201 of this title for— 

19 ‘‘(i) the implementation of the motor vehi20 cle driver education and licensing curriculum 

21 recommended under subparagraph (B); 

22 ‘‘(ii) the establishment or improved admin23 istration of multistage graduated licensing sys24 tems; and 
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1 ‘‘(iii) the support of other improvements in 

2 motor vehicle driver education and licensing 

3 programs. 

4 ‘‘(F) To perform such other functions relating 

5 to motor vehicle driver education or licensing as the 

6 Secretary may require.’’. 

7 SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR IMPROVEMENT OF DRIVER 

8 EDUCATION AND LICENSING. 

9 (a) AUTHORITY.—Part A of subtitle VI of title 49, 

10 United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 

11 301 the following new chapter: 

12 ‘‘CHAPTER 302—OTHER DRIVER 

13 PROGRAMS

‘‘Sec. 

‘‘30201. Driver education and licensing: grant assistance.

14 ‘‘§ 30201. Driver education and licensing: grant assist15 ance 

16 ‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 

18 out a program to provide States, by grant, with fi19 nancial assistance to support the improvement of 

20 motor vehicle driver education programs and the es21 tablishment and improved administration of grad22 uated licensing systems, including systems described 

23 in section 410(b)(1)(D) of title 23.
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1 ‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE.—The Secretary 

2 shall administer the program under this section 

3 through the Director of the National Office of Driv4 er Training. 

5 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.— 

6 ‘‘(1) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall pre7 scribe in regulations the eligibility requirements, ap8 plication and approval procedures and standards, 

9 and authorized uses of grant proceeds for the grant 

10 program under this section. The regulations shall, at 

11 a minimum, authorize use of grant proceeds for the 

12 following activities: 

13 ‘‘(A) Quality assurance testing. 

14 ‘‘(B) Improvement of motor vehicle driver 

15 education curricula. 

16 ‘‘(C) Training of instructors for motor ve17 hicle driver education programs. 

18 ‘‘(D) Monitoring and evaluation of the 

19 motor vehicle driver performance of graduates 

20 of motor vehicle driver education programs. 

21 ‘‘(E) Testing and evaluation of motor vehi22 cle driver performance. 

23 ‘‘(F) Public education and outreach re24 garding motor vehicle driver education and li25 censing. 
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1 ‘‘(G) Improvements with respect to State 

2 graduated licensing programs, as well as related 

3 enforcement activities. 

4 ‘‘(2) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In pre5 scribing the regulations, the Secretary shall consult 

6 with the following: 

7 ‘‘(A) The Administrator of the National 

8 Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

9 ‘‘(B) The heads of such other departments 

10 and agencies of the United States as the Sec11 retary considers appropriate on the basis of rel12 evant interests or expertise. 

13 ‘‘(C) Appropriate officials of the govern14 ments of States and political subdivisions of 

15 States. 

16 ‘‘(D) Representatives of private sector or17 ganizations recognized for relevant expertise. 

18 ‘‘(c) MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The maximum 

19 amount of a grant of financial assistance for a program, 

20 project, or activity under this section may not exceed 75 

21 percent of the total cost of such program, project, or activ22 ity.’’. 

23 (b) TIME FOR PROMULGATION OF REGULATIONS.—

24 The Secretary of Transportation shall promulgate the reg25 ulations under section 30201(b) of title 49, United States 
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1 Code (as added by subsection (a)), not later than October 

2 1, 2004. 

3 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds 

4 are authorized to be appropriated for carrying out section 

5 30201(b) of title 49, United States Code (as added by sub6 section (a)), for fiscal years and in amounts as follows: 

7 (1) For fiscal year 2005, $20,000,000. 

8 (2) For fiscal year 2006, $22,000,000. 

9 (3) For fiscal year 2007, $24,000,000. 

10 (4) For fiscal year 2008, $26,000,000. 

11 (5) For fiscal year 2009, $28,000,000. 

12 (6) For fiscal year 2010, $30,000,000. 

13 SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS OF 

14 ORGAN DONATION THROUGH DRIVER LI15 CENSING PROGRAMS. 

16 (a) AUTHORITY.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 302 of title 49, 

18 United States Code (as added by section 4), is 

19 amended by adding at the end the following new sec20 tion: 

21 ‘‘SEC. 30202. ORGAN DONATION THROUGH DRIVER LICENS22 ING: GRANT ASSISTANCE. 

23 ‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.— 

24 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 

25 out a program to provide eligible recipients, by 
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1 grant, with financial assistance to carry out cam2 paigns to increase public awareness of, and training 

3 on, authority and procedures under State law to pro4 vide for the donation of organs through a declara5 tion recorded on a motor vehicle driver license. 

6 ‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE.—The Secretary 

7 shall administer the program under this section 

8 through the Director of the National Office of Driv9 er Training. 

10 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.— 

11 ‘‘(1) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall pre12 scribe in regulations the eligibility requirements, ap13 plication and approval procedures and standards, 

14 and authorized uses of grant proceeds for the grant 

15 program under this section. 

16 ‘‘(2) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In pre17 scribing the regulations, the Secretary shall consult 

18 with the following: 

19 ‘‘(A) The Administrator of the National 

20 Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

21 ‘‘(B) The heads of such other departments 

22 and agencies of the United States as the Sec23 retary considers appropriate on the basis of rel24 evant interests or expertise. 
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1 ‘‘(C) Appropriate officials of the govern2 ments of States and political subdivisions of 

3 States. 

4 ‘‘(D) Representatives of private sector or5 ganizations recognized for relevant expertise.’’. 

6 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec7 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 

8 by adding at the end the following new item:

‘‘30202. Organ donation through driver licensing: grant assistance.’’.

9 (b) TIME FOR PROMULGATION OF REGULATIONS.—

10 The Secretary of Transportation shall promulgate the reg11 ulations under section 30202(b) of title 49, United States 

12 Code (as added by subsection (a)), not later than October 

13 1, 2004. 

14 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds 

15 are authorized to be appropriated for carrying out section 

16 30201(b) of title 49, United States Code (as added by sub17 section (a)), for fiscal years and in amounts as follows: 

18 (1) For fiscal year 2005, $4,000,000. 

19 (2) For fiscal year 2006, $4,000,000. 

20 (3) For fiscal year 2007, $4,000,000. 

21 (4) For fiscal year 2008, $4,000,000. 

22 (5) For fiscal year 2009, $4,000,000. 

23 (6) For fiscal year 2010, $4,000,000. 
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1 SEC. 6. STUDY OF NATIONAL DRIVER EDUCATION STAND2 ARDS. 

3 (a) REQUIREMENT FOR STUDY.—The Secretary of 

4 Transportation shall carry out a study to determine 

5 whether the establishment and imposition of nationwide 

6 minimum standards of motor vehicle driver education 

7 would improve national highway traffic safety. 

8 (b) TIME FOR COMPLETION OF STUDY.—The Sec9 retary shall complete the study not later than two years 

10 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

11 (c) REPORT.—The Secretary shall publish a report 

12 on the results of the study under this section not later 

13 than 2 years after the study is completed.

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