I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3261 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a Smart Technology 
Traffic Signals Grant Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 13, 2019 
Mr. CA´RDENAS (for himself, Mr. ESPAILLAT, and Mr. SCHWEIKERT) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a 
Smart Technology Traffic Signals Grant Program, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Less Traffic with 
Smart Stop Lights Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. SMART TECHNOLOGY TRAFFIC SIGNALS GRANT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans-
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portation shall establish a Smart Technology Traffic Sig-
nals Grant Program (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Program’’) to improve the functioning of traffic signals 
in a manner that— 
(1) reduces traffic congestion; 
(2) improves the safety and effectiveness of 
roadways; 
(3) reduces fuel costs for drivers; and 
(4) reduces air pollution. 
(b) GRANT AUTHORITY.—In carrying out the Pro-
gram, the Secretary may make grants, on a competitive 
basis, to a State, local, or Tribal government entity. 
(c) GRANT USES.—An entity awarded a grant under 
the Program shall use the grant to improve traffic signals 
through the implementation of innovative technology, in-
cluding— 
(1) adaptive signal control technology; and 
(2) real-time data measurement technology. 
(d) TIMING.—A grant awarded to an entity under the 
Program shall be fully expended not later than the date 
that is 3 years after the date on which initial grant 
amounts are made available to the entity. 
(e) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Federal share of the costs of a project 
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assisted with a grant under the Program may not 
exceed 80 percent. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may waive 
paragraph (1) if a State, local, or Tribal government 
entity demonstrates, as determined by the Secretary, 
extreme financial hardship. 
(3) IN-KIND
CONTRIBUTIONS.—The non-Fed-
eral share of the costs of a project assisted with a 
grant under the Program may be derived in whole 
or in part from in-kind contributions. 
(f) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 
the Program, a State, local, or Tribal government entity 
shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
in such form, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
(g) PROHIBITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A grant awarded under the 
Program may not be used to purchase, operate, or 
maintain an automated traffic enforcement system. 
(2) AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT SYS-
TEM DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘auto-
mated traffic enforcement system’’ means any device 
that captures an image of or information from a ve-
hicle for the purposes of traffic law enforcement. 
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