Bill Summary
The Hot Cars Act of 2019 is a bill that was introduced to Congress with the goal of requiring all new passenger motor vehicles to be equipped with a child safety alert system. The bill was created in response to the significant public health and safety problem of children and domestic animals being left unattended in vehicles or accessing them on their own. The bill would require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule within two years of its enactment, mandating that all new passenger motor vehicles under 10,000 pounds be equipped with a system to detect the presence of occupants in the rear designated seating position after the vehicle engine is turned off, and engage a warning. The alert would include a distinct sound, visual, and haptic warning and would be activated when the vehicle motor is turned off. The bill also includes provisions for a phase-in period and a study on retrofitting existing vehicles with this technology. Additionally, it requires states to use a portion of their funding under Section 402 to educate the public on the dangers of leaving occupants unattended in vehicles.
Possible Impacts
1. Families with young children may have to purchase new vehicles that are equipped with the required child safety alert system, which could be a financial burden for some families.
2. The rule could lead to an increase in the sales of vehicles with the required safety system, benefiting the automotive industry.
3. The awareness campaign funded by this legislation could educate the public about the dangers of leaving children and pets unattended in vehicles, potentially preventing future deaths and injuries.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3593 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3593
To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring
all new passenger motor vehicles to be equipped with a child safety
alert system, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 28, 2019
Mr. Ryan (for himself, Ms. Schakowsky, and Mr. King of New York)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring
all new passenger motor vehicles to be equipped with a child safety
alert system, 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 ``Hot Cars Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Children and domestic animals left unattended in
vehicles, or independently accessing unoccupied vehicles on
their own, are a significant public health and safety problem.
(2) Thirty-eight children on average are killed by
hyperthermia each year as a result of being left unattended in
a vehicle or as a result of gaining access independently into
an unoccupied vehicle.
(3) In 2018, at least 52 children were killed by
hyperthermia as a result of being left unattended in a vehicle
or as a result of gaining access independently into an
unoccupied vehicle.
(4) Between 1990 and 2018, at least 889 children have been
killed by hyperthermia as a result of being left unattended in
a vehicle or as a result of gaining access independently into
an unoccupied vehicle. Of those deaths, where the circumstances
were known, 27 percent were the result of the child accessing
the vehicle independently.
(5) Fourteen percent of parents reported leaving a child 6
or younger in a parked, locked car alone. According to a 2014
Public Opinion Strategies survey, fourteen percent of parents
reported leaving a child six or younger in a parked, locked car
alone. The survey finds that, according to United States Census
data, that's nearly 2,000,000 United States parents
transporting more than 3,300,000 United States children.
(6) In 2018, at least 57 domestic animals were killed as a
result of being left unattended in a vehicle.
(7) Technology currently exists to detect the presence of a
child in the rear seat of a vehicle.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to reduce the deaths and
injuries that result from occupants being left in unattended vehicles
as well as instances in which children independently access an
unoccupied vehicle.
SEC. 3. OCCUPANT SAFETY.
(a) Amendment.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 323 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by adding after section 32304A the following
new section:
``Sec. 32304B. Occupant safety
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Passenger motor vehicle.--The term `passenger motor
vehicle' has the meaning given that term in section 32101.
``(2) Rear designated seating position.--The term `rear
designated seating position' means all designated seating
positions that are rearward of the front seat.
``(3) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
``(b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of the Hot Cars Act of 2019, the Secretary shall issue a
final rule requiring all new passenger motor vehicles with a gross
vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or less to be equipped with a system to
detect the presence of an occupant in a rear designated seating
position after the vehicle engine or motor is deactivated and engage a
warning. In developing the rule required under this subsection, the
Secretary shall consider requiring systems that also detect the
presence of any occupant unable to independently exit the vehicle as
well as detect the presence of a child who has entered an unoccupied
vehicle independently.
``(c) Means.--The alert required under subsection (b)--
``(1) shall include a distinct auditory and visual alert to
notify individuals inside and outside of the vehicle of the
presence of an occupant, which shall be combined with an
interior haptic warning; and
``(2) shall be activated when the vehicle motor is
deactivated by the operator and the presence of an occupant is
detected.
``(d) Phase-In.--The rule issued pursuant to subsection (b) shall
require full compliance with the rule not later than 2 years after the
date on which the final rule is issued.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for Chapter 323 of
title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking the item
relating to section 32304A and inserting the following:
``32304A. Consumer tire information and standards.
``32304B. Occupant safety.''.
(b) Awareness of Occupants in Motor Vehicles.--Section 402 of title
23, United States Code, is amended by inserting after subsection (k)
the following:
``(l) Unattended Passengers.--
``(1) In general.--Each State shall use a portion of the
amount it receives under this section to carry out a program to
educate the public on the risks of leaving an occupant in a
vehicle.
``(2) Program placement.--A State does not need to carry
out the program described in paragraph (1) through the State
transportation or highway safety office.''.
(c) Study and Report.--
(1) Independent study.--
(A) Agreement.--
(i) In general.--The Secretary of
Transportation shall enter into an agreement or
a contract with an independent third party that
does not have any financial or contractual ties
with passenger motor vehicle manufacturers or
technology companies producing occupant
reminder warning systems or child restraint
systems to perform the services under this
paragraph.
(ii) Timing.--The Secretary shall enter
into the agreement or contract described in
clause (i) not later than the date that the
Secretary determines is the latest date by
which completion of the services under this
paragraph will allow the Secretary enough time
to prepare and submit the study required under
paragraph (2) in accordance with such
paragraph.
(B) Independent study.--
(i) In general.--Under an agreement between
the Secretary and an independent third party
under this paragraph, the independent third
party shall carry out a study on retrofitting
existing passenger motor vehicles with
technology to address the problem of occupants
left unattended in motor vehicles.
(ii) Elements.--In carrying out the study
required under clause (i), the independent
third party shall--
(I) survey and evaluate a variety
of methods used by current and emerging
aftermarket technology or products to
solve the problem of occupants being
left unattended in the vehicle or
occupants gaining access to the vehicle
independently;
(II) make recommendations for
manufacturers of such technology or
products to undergo a functional safety
performance to ensure that the products
perform as designed by the manufacturer
under a variety of real world
conditions; and
(III) provide recommendations for
consumers on how to select such
technology or products in order to
retrofit existing vehicles.
(2) Report.--During the 180-day period beginning on the
date on which the Secretary of Transportation issues the final
rule required under section 32304B(b) of title 49, United
States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall
submit the results of the study carried out under paragraph (1)
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of
the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives.
<all>