PUBLIC LAW 106-159—DEC. 9, 1999
113 STAT. 1769
(e) SAVINGS CLAUSE. —No provision of this section may be
enforced if it is inconsistent with any international agreement of
the United States.
(f) ACTS OF EMPLOYEES. —The actions of any employee driver
of a foreign motor carrier or foreign motor private carrier committed
without the knowledge of the carrier or committed unintentionally
shall not be grounds for penalty or disqualification under this
section.
SEC. 220. TRAFFIC LAW INITLVTIVE.
(a) IN GENERAL.— In cooperation with one or more States, the
Secretary may carry out a program to develop innovative methods
of improving motor carrier compliance with traffic laws. Such
methods may include the use of photography and other imaging
technologies.
(b) REPORT.— The Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report
on the results of any program conducted under this section, together
with any recommendations as the Secretary determines appropriate.
SEC. 221. STATE-TO-STATE NOTIFICATION OF VIOLATIONS DATA.
(a) DEVELOPMENT.—In cooperation with the States, the Secretary shall develop a uniform system to support the electronic
transmission of data State-to-State on convictions for all motor
vehicle traffic control law violations by individuals possessing a
commercial drivers' licenses as required by paragraphs (9) and
(19) of section 31311(a) of title 49, United States Code.
(b) STATUS REPORT. —Not later than 2 years after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the
House of Representatives a report on the status of the implementation of this section.
SEC. 222. MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM ASSESSMENTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation should
ensure that motor carriers operate safely by imposing civil penalties
at a level calculated to ensure prompt and sustained compliance
with Federal motor carrier safety and commercial driver's license
laws.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT. —The Secretary—
(1) should establish and assess minimum civil penalties
for each violation of a law referred to in subsection (a); and
(2) shall assess the maximum civil penalty for each violation of a law referred to in subsection (a) by any person who
is found to have committed a pattern of violations of critical
or acute regulations issued to carry out such a law or to
have previously committed the same or a related violation
of critical or acute regulations issued to carry out such a law.
(c) EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES.— If the Secretary determines and documents that extraordinary circumstances exist which
merit the assessment of any civil penalty lower than any level
established under subsection (b), the Secretary may assess such
lower penalty. In cases where a person has been found to have
previously committed the same or a related violation of critical
or acute regulations issued to carry out a law referred to in subsection (a), extraordinary circumstances may be found to exist when
the Secretary determines that repetition of such violation does
not demonstrate a failure to take appropriate remedial action.
49 USC 31131
note.
49 USC 31311
note.
Deadline.
49 USC 521 note.
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