House Passes Appropriations Bill for Homeland Security 
On May 11, 2007, the House passed a bill (
H.R. 1684) to authorize the appropriation of $39.9 billion to the Secretary of Homeland Security for the necessary expenses of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal year 2008. The bill was passed despite a White House
veto threat over provisions that would interfere with the DHS Secretary’s management authorities, hinder the Department’s ability to implement its various missions and conflict with the President’s Budget. Of particular concern to the Administration is the provision that threatens the existence of DHS's personnel management system.
Senate to Vote on Whether to Begin Debate on Immigration Reform
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada delivered a statement May 11, 2007, on the Senate floor announcing that on May 16, the Senate will vote on whether to begin debate on S.1348, a bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes.
Concurrent Resolution Submitted Regarding Mexican Motor Carriers In U.S.
On May 9, 2007, Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) submitted a concurrent resolution to the House of Representatives expressing the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Transportation may not grant authority to Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to operate beyond the commercial zones of the United States-Mexico border. The concurrent resolution was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
House Approves Privacy Protection Bills
On May 11, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act or Spy Act (
HR 964). HR 964 would prevent companies from secretly installing software on computers that, among other things, could track the Web pages that users visit. Also passed was the Social Security Number Protection Act (
HR 948). This Act strengthens the authority of the federal government to protect individuals from certain acts and practices in the sale and purchase of Social Security numbers and Social Security account numbers, and for other purposes.
House Approves Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act
On May 8, the House Administration Committee approved the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007 (H.R. 811). This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) with respect to: (1) ballot verification and mandatory paper record audit capacity; and (2) accessibility and ballot verification of results for individuals with disabilities. The bill would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop best practices to enhance the accessibility of ballot verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, voters whose primary language is not English, and voters with difficulties in literacy and well as require laboratories to meet standards prohibiting conflicts of interest as a condition of accreditation for the testing of voting system hardware and software. H.R. 811 would direct the chief auditor of each state to appoint an election audit board to administer random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots required to be produced and preserved for each such election held in the state. The
bill and summary are available online.
Advance Electronic Cargo Information Must be Transmitted Through ACE Truck Manifest System
Pursuant to section 343(a) of the U.S. Trade Act of 2002 and implementing regulations, truck carriers and other eligible parties are required to transmit advance electronic truck cargo information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through a CBP-approved electronic data interchange.
In a previous document, CBP designated the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Truck Manifest System as the approved interchange. The CBP also announced that the advance electronic cargo information should be transmitted through ACE and would be phased in by groups of ports of entry. Trucks entering the United States through land border ports of entry in the states of Idaho and Montana will be required to transmit the advance information through the ACE Truck Manifest system effective Aug. 6, 2007. View the
Federal Register Notice for more information.
Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee Meeting
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) will hold its first planning and organizational meeting. The meeting is open to the public. Establishment of the advisory committee was announced in the Federal Register (71 FR 67200), on November 20, 2006. The MCSAC meeting is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 22-23, 2007 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel, 5000 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22311. View the
Federal Register Notice for more information.
Severe Weather in Kansas Prompts Executive Order
In order to expedite restoration of services and relief in the areas affected by tornadoes, the State of Kansas has issued an Execive Order to temporarily suspend certain motor vehicle fees and requirements. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius has ordered a temporary suspension of certain fees associated with over-dimension/overweight permits, registration and fuel tax reporting requirements, requirements for licensing/operating authority and requirements contained in Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, CFR 49, Parts 390-399 under the authority of CFR 49, Part 390.23. All other regulations in CFR 49 shall apply. This temporary order will end at the end of thirty days. View
Executive Order No. 07-09 on IRP, Inc.'s Web set for more details.
Demonstration Projects for Reporting At-Risk Drivers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has an open procurement for demonstration projects to enhance reporting of at-risk drivers to the licensing authority (DMV). Competition is limited to U.S. DMVs. Letters are also on their way to chief motor vehicle officials. To apply, visit
www.grants.gov and click on “For Applicants," then click "Apply for Grants" to download the application package for Funding Opportunity Number DTNH22-07-R-00071. Don’t miss out! The deadline is June 4, 2007.
Request for Applicants for Homeland Security Information Network Advisory Council
The Office of Operations Coordination at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is requesting individuals who are interested in serving on the Homeland Security Information Network Advisory Council (HSINAC) to apply for appointment. The HSINAC provides advice and makes recommendations to the leadership of the DHS, particularly the director, Office of Operations Coordination, on the requirements of end users within state, local, federal and tribal governments and the private sector regarding the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). Submit your membership applications by e-mail at
hsinac.comments@dhs.gov, or by fax at (202) 282–8191 on or before June 22, 2007. More information is available in the
Federal Register Notice.
GAO Report on Older Driver Practices
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report in April 2007 entitled
Knowledge Sharing Should Help States Prepare for Increase in Older Driver Population. The report examined what the federal government has done to promote safe practices for older drivers and to what extent the states have implemented these practices. GAO also examined the extent to which states assess fitness of older drivers and what support the federal government has provided, and what initiatives certain states have implemented to improve the safety of older drivers.
In it's report, the GAO is recommending that the Secretary of Transportation direct adminstrators from the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety to implement a mechanism that would allow states to share information on older driver safety practices. The Department of Health and Human Services agreed with the report. The Department of Transportation provided technical corrections but did not offer overall comments on the report. To view the full report, including the scope and methodology, go to
www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-413. An e-supplement is also available online at
www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-517SP.
Click It or Ticket National Mobilization
The Click It or Ticket mobilization will run from May 21 to June 3, 2007. Regardless of how many officers an agency has, it is vitally important for police departments, sheriff’s offices, and state agencies of all sizes to engage in this nationwide effort. Your participation is the key to continued success. A short web based video is available for briefing and roll call describing the Click It or Ticket mobilization, and encouraging officers to get behind this important effort. Along with other materials for law enforcement, the video can be accessed and downloaded from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's
Web site.
National Roadway Safety Awards
The 2007 National Roadway Safety Awards application is a biennial program co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) and provides national recognition for exemplary roadway safety projects. Public and private sector state, regional, and local organizations are eligible to apply. Awards are given for infrastructure and operational improvements and projects that address safety needs through safety data, evaluations and planning. Download eligibility criteria and submission form by visiting the Safety Awards web site,
www.roadwaysafetyawards.org. Remember, applications must be received by
June 1, 2007.
AAMVA Seeks Information on How Jurisdictions Handle CDL Holders Cited for BAC
Jurisdictions have differing processes for dealing with commercial drivers cited for having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than .04 while driving a commercial motor vehicle. In the upcoming Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) Modernization project, AAMVA wants to ensure it accurately captures the data necessary for all jurisdiction requirements. To help with this effort,
please respond to the survey titled "Citation of CDL Holder for BAC > .04 in CMV."
Martha Irwin Safety Award Nominations Due
The AAMVA Martha Irwin Distinguished Service Award for Safety is presented annually to a member law enforcement jurisdiction, or an individual or organization whose primary function is directly associated with highway and traffic safety efforts. Interested jurisdictional members are encouraged to submit nominations to their chief motor vehicle or chief law enforcement administrator who will then submit one nominee per jurisdictional agency to AAMVA headquarters. Nominations must be received by July 1, 2007. Contact Selden J. Fritschner, Law Enforcement Liaison, (703) 908-5855. Nomination guidelines and form are available on AAMVA's Web site.
New AAMVA MCSIA Courses Planned For June
AAMVA continues to offer Motor Carrier Safety Improvements Act (MCSIA) training to jurisdictions. There are a total of eight classes, covering the following topics: MCSIA Impacts, Documentation Usage, Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS), 10-Year History Check & Driver's License Number (DLN) Survey, ACD Codes and Testing Procedures.
Additionally, there is a UNI Basics class, and a UNI Advanced class that will be available shortly. AAMVA is developing Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) training, which will consist of two classes: PDPS Basics and PDPS Advanced. AAMVA plans to offer the advanced UNI and the new PDPS classes in June.
Classes are generally two hours in length and are presented via WebEx. There is no charge for these classes. But there are a limited number of WebEx connections available for each class.
To learn more about the classes, or to request a schedule, please send an e-mail to
trainer@aamva.org. Additionally, you can contact
Richard Ross or
Tim Rowe for more information.
Law Institute: A Strong AAMVA Tradition, A Great Learning Opportunity
The Annual Motor Vehicle and Traffic Law Insitute Law Institute is in Pittsburgh, Penn., Aug. 4-8, 2007. The Law Institute is the premier meeting for anyone with an interest in legal issues affecting the administration and enforcement of motor vehicle laws.
Register online today!
Share Information With Other Jurisdictions
If you haven’t already done so, please respond to the following surveys.
Move Photo Contest
Pull out those cameras and brush up on those skills! We are looking for the best photo that depicts the theme for our Annual International Conference (AIC) issue of Move, which is "Communicate. Collaborate. Face the Future Together." The selected photo will be used on the cover and viewed by thousands of readers! Be sure to review the submission
guidelines and
release form. Also make note of the
upcoming themes and deadlines for submission. E-mail
move@aamva.org with questions...and good luck! The deadline for the AIC issue is June 19, 2007.
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