[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3679 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3679
To establish a grant program in the Department of Transportation to
improve the traffic safety of teen drivers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 30, 2010
Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Mr. Dorgan) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a grant program in the Department of Transportation to
improve the traffic safety of teen drivers.
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 ``Students Taking Action for Road
Safety Act of 2010'' or the ``STARS Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. TEEN DRIVER SAFETY PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish
a teen traffic safety grant program under which the Secretary shall
award grants to States to implement a statewide program to improve the
traffic safety of teen drivers.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to support peer-to-peer
education and prevention strategies in schools and communities--
(1) to increase safety belt use;
(2) to reduce speeding;
(3) to reduce impaired and distracted driving;
(4) to reduce underage drinking; and
(5) to reduce other destructive decisions by teen drivers
that lead to injuries and fatalities.
(c) Application.--Any State desiring a grant under this section
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(d) Eligible Activities.--A State may use grant funds received
under this section to implement a statewide program to improve traffic
safety of teen drivers, including--
(1) working with student-led groups and advisors from
schools to plan and implement teen traffic safety programs;
(2) providing subgrants to schools throughout the State to
support the establishment and expansion of student groups
focused on teen traffic safety;
(3) providing support, training, and technical assistance
to establish and expand school and community safety programs
for teen drivers;
(4) creating statewide or regional websites to publicize
and circulate information on teen safety programs;
(5) conducting outreach and providing educational resources
for parents;
(6) establishing State or regional advisory councils
comprised of teen drivers to provide input and recommendations
to the governor and governor's safety representative on issues
related to the safety of teen drivers;
(7) collaborating with law enforcement;
(8) organizing and hosting State and regional conferences
for teen drivers;
(9) establishing partnerships and promoting coordination
among community stakeholders, including public, not-for-profit,
and for-profit entities; and
(10) funding a position of coordinator for the teen safety
program in the State or region.
(e) Grant Amount.--The amount of a grant available to a State under
this section shall be based on a formula administered by the Secretary,
which shall--
(1) consider the number of teen drivers in each State; and
(2) guarantee that each State that applies for a grant
under this section receives at least $200,000 per year.
(f) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under this
section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, Federal and non-
Federal funds available for carrying out the activities described in
this section.
(g) Reallocation of Funds.--An agency of a State that receives a
grant under this section may reallocate grant funds to 1 or more
nonprofit organizations to carry out the grant program under this
section.
(h) Technical Assistance Center and Clearinghouse.--
(1) Establishment of center.--From funds appropriated
pursuant to subsection (i), the Secretary of Transportation may
use up to $500,000 to contract with a national, nonprofit
organization to establish a technical assistance center
(referred to in this subsection as the ``Center'') to provide
training and technical assistance to State and local officials,
student leaders, school advisors, and other entities associated
with the grant program under this section.
(2) Use of funds.--The Center may use funds received under
such paragraph for training, communications, publications,
conferences, meetings and other assistance considered
appropriate to develop and sustain a statewide program to
improve traffic safety of teen drivers.
(3) Clearinghouse.--The Center may operate a national teen
traffic safety clearinghouse--
(A) to develop information and resources for
improving the health and safety of teen drivers;
(B) to disseminate techniques and strategies used
for successful teen safety programs; and
(C) to develop and carry out a public awareness
campaign related to the safety of teen drivers.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit
Account) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015 to
carry out this section.
SEC. 3. TEEN DRIVER ADVISORY COUNCIL.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish the National Teen
Driver Advisory Council (referred to in this section as the
``Council''), which shall be comprised of teen drivers and leaders in
teen traffic safety.
(b) Strategy and Report.--
(1) Strategy.--The Council, in consultation with teen
drivers and leaders in teen traffic safety, including
representatives of appropriate Federal agencies, shall study
and develop an education and prevention strategy for reducing
injuries and fatalities for teen drivers.
(2) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to
the appropriate committees of Congress that contains--
(A) the results of the study conducted by the
Council; and
(B) a description of the strategy developed by the
Council.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(2) Teen driver.--The term ``teen driver'' means a driver
who is younger than 21 years of age.
(3) Teen traffic safety program.--The term ``teen traffic
safety program'' includes peer-to-peer education and prevention
strategies in schools and communities to increase safety belt
use and to reduce speeding, impaired and distracted driving,
underage drinking, and other destructive decisions by teen
drivers that lead to injuries and fatalities.
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