Driver and Officer Safety Education Act
Bill: H.R.169 | Sponsor: Rep. Green, Al (D-TX)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Driver and Officer Safety Education Act
This bill increases authorization levels for FY2019-FY2020 for national priority safety programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Additionally, the bill decreases the allocation of funds under such programs for (1) occupant protection, (2) state traffic safety information system improvements, and (3) impaired driving countermeasures.
DOT must award grants to states that enact a commuter safety education program for educational and training programs concerning law enforcement practices during traffic stops and other in-person encounters.
In each fiscal year, 2% of the funds provided for commuter safety education shall be allocated among states that implement commuter safety education programs.

To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish a grant program for 
  States that establish specific standards for education and training 
  programs concerning civilian and law enforcement encounters during 
 traffic stops and other in-person encounters, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Driver and Officer Safety Education 
Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATES MEETING MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR 
              EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING PROGRAMS CONCERNING LAW 
              ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES DURING TRAFFIC STOPS AND OTHER IN-
              PERSON ENCOUNTERS.

    (a) Increase in Authorization Levels.--Section 4001(a)(3) of the 
FAST Act is amended by--
            (1) striking paragraphs (D) and (E); and
            (2) inserting after paragraph (C) the following:
            ``(D) $288,660,000 for fiscal year 2019; and
            ``(E) $291,618,000 for fiscal year 2020.''.
    (b) Grant Program.--Section 405 of title 23, United States Code is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``13'' and inserting 
        ``12.74'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``14.5'' and 
        inserting ``14.21'';
            (3) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ``52.5'' and 
        inserting ``51.45'';
            (4) in subsection (a)(4), by striking ``8.5'' and inserting 
        ``8.33'';
            (5) in subsection (a)(5), by striking ``1.5'' and inserting 
        ``1.47'';
            (6) in subsection (a)(6), by striking ``5'' and inserting 
        ``4.9'';
            (7) in subsection (a)(7), by striking ``5'' and inserting 
        ``4.9'';
            (8) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through (10) of 
        subsection (a) as paragraphs (9) through (11);
            (9) by inserting after subsection (a)(7) the following:
            ``(8) Commuter safety education.--In each fiscal year, 2 
        percent of the funds provided under this section shall be 
        allocated among States that implement commuter safety education 
        programs (as described in subsection (i)).'';
            (10) in subsection (a)(9), as so redesignated, by--
                    (A) striking ``through (7)'' and inserting 
                ``through (8)''; and
                    (B) striking ``through (h)'' and inserting 
                ``through (i)''; and
            (11) by inserting at the end the following:
    ``(i) Commuter Safety Education.--
            ``(1) General authority.--Subject to the requirements under 
        this subsection, the Secretary of Transportation shall award 
        grants to States that enact a commuter safety education 
        program.
            ``(2) Federal share.--The Federal share of the costs of 
        activities funded using amounts from grants awarded under this 
        subsection may not exceed 80 percent for each fiscal year for 
        which a State receives a grant.
            ``(3) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under this 
        subsection, a State shall enact a law or adopt a program that 
        requires the following:
                    ``(A) Driver education and driving safety 
                courses.--Inclusion, in driver education and driving 
                safety courses provided to individuals by educational 
                and motor vehicle agencies of the State, of instruction 
                and testing concerning law enforcement practices during 
                traffic stops and other in-person encounters, including 
                information on--
                            ``(i) the role of law enforcement and the 
                        duties and responsibilities of peace officers;
                            ``(ii) an individual's legal rights 
                        concerning interactions with peace officers;
                            ``(iii) best practices for civilians and 
                        peace officers during such interactions;
                            ``(iv) laws regarding questioning and 
                        detention by peace officers, including any law 
                        requiring an individual to present proof of 
                        identity to a peace officer;
                            ``(v) the consequences for an individual's 
                        or officer's failure to comply with those laws; 
                        and
                            ``(vi) how and where to file a complaint 
                        against or a compliment on behalf of a peace 
                        officer.
                    ``(B) Peace officer training programs.--Development 
                and implementation of a training program, including 
                instruction and testing materials, for peace officers 
                and reserve law enforcement officers (other than 
                officers who have received training in a civilian 
                course described in subparagraph (A)) pertaining to 
                proper interaction with civilians during traffic stops 
                and other in-person encounters.
            ``(4) Allocation of grant funds.--For each fiscal year, 
        funds made available to carry out this subsection for such 
        fiscal year shall be apportioned to a covered State in an 
        amount determined by multiplying--
                    ``(A) the amount made available to carry out this 
                subsection for the fiscal year; by
                    ``(B) the ratio that the amount of funds 
                apportioned to each such State under section 402 for 
                such fiscal year bears to the total amount of funds 
                apportioned to all such States under section 402 for 
                such fiscal year.
            ``(5) Covered state.--In this subsection, a `covered State' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a State that the Secretary determines is 
                enforcing and carrying out the law or program described 
                in paragraph (3); and
                    ``(B) a State that qualifies pursuant to paragraph 
                (6)(A).
            ``(6) Special rule for certain states.--
                    ``(A) Qualifying state.--A State qualifies pursuant 
                to this subparagraph if--
                            ``(i) the Secretary determines such State 
                        has taken meaningful steps toward the full 
                        implementation of a law or program described in 
                        paragraph (3);
                            ``(ii) the Secretary determines such State 
                        has established a timetable for the 
                        implementation of such law or program; and
                            ``(iii) subject to subparagraph (C), such 
                        State has received a grant pursuant to this 
                        subsection for a period of no more than 2 
                        years.
                    ``(B) Withholding.--With respect to a State that 
                qualifies pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
                shall--
                            ``(i) withhold 50 percent of the amount 
                        that such State would otherwise receive if such 
                        State were a State described in paragraph 
                        (5)(A); and
                            ``(ii) direct any such amounts for 
                        distribution among the States described in 
                        paragraph (5)(A).
                    ``(C) Waiver.--Upon the request of a State, the 
                Secretary may waive or modify the 2-year period 
                described in subparagraph (A)(iii) if the Secretary 
                determines that such a waiver would be equitable due to 
                exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances.
            ``(7) Use of grant amounts.--Grant funds received pursuant 
        to this subsection may be used--
                    ``(A) for the production of educational materials 
                and training of staff for driver education and driving 
                safety courses and peace officer training described in 
                paragraph (3); and
                    ``(B) for the implementation of the law described 
                in paragraph (3).''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by section 2(b) shall take effect on the first 
day of the fiscal year that begins after the date of enactment of this 
Act.
                                 <all>