Modernizing Seat Back Safety Act
Bill: H.R.4025 | Sponsor: Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. (D-NY)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Modernizing Seat Back Safety Act
This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a final rule revising motor vehicle seating systems safety standards to reduce the potential for injury to all motor vehicle occupants due to seat back failure during all types of vehicle impact.
DOT must also establish a date for required compliance with the final rule of not later than two motor vehicle model years after the model year during which the effective date of the final rule occurs.

To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a final rule 
           revising motor vehicle seat back safety standards.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Modernizing Seat Back Safety Act''.

SEC. 2. MOTOR VEHICLE SEAT BACK SAFETY STANDARDS.

    (a) Findings; Purposes.--
            (1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
                    (A) crashes involving seat structural failures in 
                passenger motor vehicles pose a significant public 
                health and safety threat, particularly to children 
                occupying rear seats;
                    (B) thousands of preventable fatalities and life-
                threatening injuries have occurred as a result of motor 
                vehicle seat failures;
                    (C) the National Highway Traffic Safety 
                Administration has neglected to improve the motor 
                vehicle seat integrity standard for more than 50 years, 
                to the detriment of passenger motor vehicle safety; and
                    (D) this Act is introduced in honor and memory of 
                the victims of motor vehicle seat failures in crashes, 
                including those whose precious lives were cut far too 
                short as a result of seat failures and those whose 
                catastrophic injuries dramatically changed their lives, 
                including Taylor Grace Warner, Jayden-Faith Fraser, 
                Emily Reavis, Owen Reavis, Teddy Schwab, Jaklin Romine, 
                Russell Selkirk, Travis Oldhouser, Thomas Comella, 
                Geneva Massie, Crystal Collins, Mary Portis, Dzemila 
                Heco, Aaliyah George, Heikki Helava, and Clyde M. 
                Sneed.
            (2) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
                    (A) to reduce the number of preventable deaths and 
                injuries caused by motor vehicle seat failures; and
                    (B) to improve passenger motor vehicle safety.
    (b) Final Rule.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, subject to subsection (c), the Secretary of Transportation 
shall issue a final rule updating section 571.207 of title 49, Code of 
Federal Regulations, to reduce the potential for injury to all motor 
vehicle occupants due to seat back failure during all types of vehicle 
impact.
    (c) Compliance Date.--In issuing the final rule pursuant to 
subsection (b), the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a date 
for required compliance with the final rule of not later than 2 motor 
vehicle model years after the model year during which the effective 
date of the final rule occurs.
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