H. R. 165

Prohibiting the manufacture, sale, delivery,
or importation of school buses that do not have seat belts.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 6, 1999

Mr. Kleczka introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

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A BILL

Prohibiting the manufacture, sale, delivery, or importation of school buses that do not have seat belts.

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

SECTION 1. PROHIBITION.

No person shall manufacture, sell, deliver, or import any school bus, constructed after the effective date of this Act, for use by a person described in section 2 to provide transportation service, unless such school bus is equipped with a seat belt for each passenger riding in such school bus.

SEC. 2. PERSONS TO WHICH PROHIBITION APPLIES.

The prohibition set forth in section 1 shall apply to-- (1) any school bus, as such term is defined in section 4221(d)(7)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and (2) any Federal, State, or local government entity, school district, or other public or private entity providing transportation to passengers by school bus.

SEC. 3. CIVIL PENALTIES; SECRETARY'S AUTHORITY TO COMPROMISE.

(a) Amount of Penalties.--Whoever violates any provision of this Act, or any regulation issued thereunder, shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each such violation. A violation with respect to each school bus shall constitute a separate violation, except that the maximum civil penalty shall not exceed $800,000 for any related series of violations.
(b) Compromise of Penalties.--Any such civil penalty may be compromised by the Secretary of Transportation. In determining the amount of such penalty, or the amount agreed upon in compromise, the appropriateness of such penalty to the size of the business of the person charged and the gravity of the violation shall be considered.

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act shall take effect 90 days after the date of its enactment.