Inside This Issue...

Beginning June 12, 2006, The Week in Review will be published on Mondays. Previously, the newsletter has been published on Fridays.

On May 25, the Senate passed the long-debated immigration overhaul legislation in a 62-36 vote. The bill was passed after the Senate voted last week to invoke cloture (or limit debate). The Senate bill (S 2611) would allow most of the nation's 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants to stay, work and ultimately earn U.S. citizenship. The House version (HR 4437) passed five months ago is much more limited and classifies anyone without a valid visa a felon. The House bill does not include the guest worker program or the path to legalization included in the Senate bill. Congress will tackle the issue of how to handle the millions of illegal immigrants in conference this summer.

The Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the United States Coast Guard have submitted a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would implement the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program in the maritime sector. Under this program, merchant mariners holding an active License, Merchant Mariner Document, or Certificate of Registry and workers who require unescorted access to secure areas at maritime facilities or on vessels must undergo a security threat assessment, and, if found to not pose a security threat, obtain a TWIC. Under this proposed rule, the Coast Guard seeks to amend its regulations on vessel and facility security to require the use of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential as an access control measure. TSA is proposing a fee, as authorized under the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2004, to pay for the costs related to the issuance of the TWICs under this rule.  TSA and the Coast Guard will hold four public meetings as follows: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 in Newark, NJ; Thursday, June 1 in Tampa, FL; Wednesday, June 6 in St. Louis, MO; and Thursday, June 7 in Long Beach, CA. Comments and related material must reach the Docket Management Facility on or before July 6, 2006. Comments sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on collection of information must reach OMB on or before July 6, 2006. You may submit comments identified by TSA docket number TSA-2006-24191 or Coast Guard docket number USCG-2006-24196 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S. Department of Transportation via the Web site at http://dms.dot.gov; mail to Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room Plaza 401, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001; fax to (202) 493-2251; or use the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov.

The House Financial Services Committee has approved a bill (HR 4127) by voice vote that sets national standards for protecting personal information and requires companies to investigate data security breaches. The committee adopted the text of HR 3997 as a substitute. This includes the broadest pre-emption of state law and the highest threshold for notification. In addition, the Energy and Commerce Committee approved HR 3997 after substituting the text of the bill with the text of HR 4127.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has submitted a request for an extension on a currently approved information collection dealing with advanced air bag phase-in reporting requirements. NHTSA previously issued Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant crash protection," to aid the agency in achieving many of its safety goals. This notice requests comments on the extension of the phase-in reporting requirements of this FMVSS related to the implementation of advanced air bags. Phase 1 of the advanced air bag phase-in began Sept. 1, 2003 with 100 percent compliance by Sept. 1, 2005. Phase 2 of the advanced air bag phase-in begins Sept. 1, 2006 with 100 percent compliance by Sept. 1, 2009. NHTSA needs this information to ensure that vehicle manufacturers are certifying their applicable vehicles as meeting the new advanced air bag requirements of FMVSS No. 208. NHTSA will use this information to determine whether a manufacturer has complied with the amended requirements during the phase-in period. Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: NHTSA Desk Officer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has submitted a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes implementing regulations for the motorcyclist safety grant program authorized under section 2010 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) for fiscal years 2006 through 2009. Eligibility for the section 2010 grants is based on 6 statutorily specified grant criteria. To be eligible to receive an initial section 2010 grant, a state must demonstrate compliance with at least 1 of the 6 grant criteria. To be eligible to receive a grant in subsequent fiscal years, a state must demonstrate compliance with at least 2 of the 6 grant criteria. This NPRM proposes minimum requirements a state must meet and procedures a state must follow to receive a section 2010 motorcyclist safety grant. Written comments may be submitted to this agency and must be received by June 23, 2006. Comments should refer to the docket number NHTSA-2006-23700 and be submitted (preferably in two copies) to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Alternatively, you may submit your comments electronically by logging onto the Docket Management System (DMS) Web site at http://dms.dot.gov.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced a new partnership with NASCAR, Disney-Pixar, and Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Coinciding with the release of the new Disney-Pixar film "CARS," the partnership will encourage more Americans to wear their safety belts. The partnership includes a new safety advertisement developed for DOT's “Click It or Ticket” campaign. The ad contains a strong safety message about the need for motorists to wear safety belts. Special “Click It or Ticket” signs, videos and other materials were on display throughout the Lowe’s Motor Speedway during the NASCAR Nextel Cup series Coca-Cola 600 race during Memorial Day weekend. In addition, the new “CARS” safety ad will be distributed to DOT's national, state and local highway safety partners. “Click It or Ticket” takes place each May and brings together more than 12,000 state and local law enforcement agencies in a national crackdown on safety belt violators.

Please share information with your fellow jurisdictions by responding to these surveys. Contact Member and Conference Services if you need a user ID and password.

• California - Medical Reports done by Chiropractors  (Ends 5/26/06)
• Nevada - Laser Printers  (Ends 5/26/06)
• Washington - Night Drive Tests  (Ends 6/2/06)
• Idaho - REAL ID: Use of consultant  (Ends 6/7/06)

AAMVA would like to know about DMV and law enforcement successes that your jurisdiction has had with programs geared toward teen driver safety. This survey seeks brief answers, to which the Programs Division may follow up by telephone with additional questions. Your responses will help other jurisdictions learn about programs they can implement to reduce teen driver crashes and fatalities. The survey ends May 31, 2006. Additionally, AAMVA would like to conduct a needs assessment related to customer service delivery. Please take a few minutes to respond to this survey so that we may learn how we can better serve the needs of the AAMVA community. Please contact Member and Conference Services at info@aamva.org if you need a user ID and password. AAMVA appreciates your input!