Inside This Issue...

On Feb. 4, 2008, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released a statement regarding President Bush’s FY 2009 budget for the Department of Homeland Security. Thompson stated, “It’s impossible to secure our nation without securing our communities first. The President’s budget neglects firefighters, police officers, and other emergency service providers who respond to our calls for help by slashing their funding. The President must back up his rhetoric and provide resources where a clear need exists." The President’s budget fails to provide adequate funding to some of the most significant homeland security issues, including a $750 million (79%) cut to the State Homeland Security Grant Program. Thompson's statement is available online. More details are also available in the Committee's document titled "President Bush's FY 2009 Budget: Failing to Provide Much Needed Funding for Critical Homeland Security Priorities."

According to Congressional Quarterly, President Bush has proposed cutting highway funding by more than 4 percent, and his Transportation Department request would allow money to be moved from a mass-transit account to help maintain the Highway Trust Fund. The department’s proposed $57.1 billion budget for fiscal 2009 represents a 10 percent cut from fiscal 2008. Of that total, $39.4 billion would go to highways, about $1.8 billion less than Congress appropriated in fiscal 2008. Revenue from the gasoline taxes that finance highway projects has not kept pace with inflation or growing transportation demands, leading to declining cash balances in the trust fund. The Bush administration estimates that the fund will need to borrow about $3.2 billion from mass transit accounts in fiscal 2009. With reduced highway funds for fiscal 2009, the Transportation Department would fall short of the funding levels promised in the 2005 highway authorization law (PL 109-59). However, Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said the department will still spend the total authorized amount over the life of the law, if not the exact annual allocations.

President Bush's request for the Federal Election Commission has proposed no funding to update the nation's voting machines. $64 million has been allotted for the commission, which is a boost from the $59 million Congress approved for fiscal 2008, and staffing would grow from 350 to 362 under the proposal. But Bush proposed spending nothing on state grants to upgrade voting equipment and training. State and local election officials say they will seek about $600 million — the balance of the money authorized in the 2002 Help America Vote Act (PL 107-252), drafted in response to the 2000 presidential election.

On Feb. 6, 2008, Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters appeared before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee after she rejected a special panel’s recommendation to raise the 18.4-cents-a-gallon tax to 40 cents a gallon over five years. Peters, who chaired the advisory panel, said Americans do not want that kind of tax increase. The Jan. 15 report by the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission recommended the gas tax increase to help raise at least $225 billion a year for transportation improvements. The commission also urged the federal government to assume more of the financing burden from states. The federal government currently covers about 40 percent of the nation’s total transportation costs. President Bush’s fiscal 2009 budget request proposes $57.1 billion for the Transportation Department, a 10 percent cut from fiscal 2008. Of that total, $39.4 billion would go to highways, about $1.8 billion less than Congress appropriated in fiscal 2008. Read Peters' Feb. 6 statement before the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

A resolution to promote the safe operation of 15-passenger vans was introduced to the House on Feb. 7, 2008. The House recognizes the need for awareness regarding the increased risks of driving 15-passenger vans and encourages any operator of such a vehicle or person who provides transportation on such a vehicle to provide adequate training for drivers and safety information, including the necessity for wearing seat belts, to passengers. The resolution (H. Res. 964) has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. View the summary and full text of the resolution on line.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a notice in the Feb. 11, 2008 Federal Register to inform the public that there may be a vote to adopt the Global Technical Regulation (GTR) on Glazing (i.e., laminated and toughened glass) at the March 2008 session of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29). In anticipation of this vote, NHTSA is requesting comments on this GTR to inform its decision for the vote. Publication of this information is in accordance with NHTSA’s Statement of Policy regarding Agency Policy Goals and Public Participation in the Implementation of the 1998 Global Agreement on Global Technical Regulations. The latest draft of the GTR specifies performance requirements for various types of glazing intended for installation in Category 1 and 2 vehicles as defined in Special Resolution No. 1. The requirements apply to glazing as an item of equipment, and do not include installation requirements for vehicles. Performance requirements for some of the materials vary depending on whether the material is intended for installation as a windscreen or a pane. The draft includes requirements and tests to ensure the mechanical strength, optical qualities and environmental resistance of glazing. Written comments may be submitted to this agency by March 6, 2008. For more details, view the Federal Register notice.

President Bush has vowed to veto any appropriations bills that exceed the funding he requested in his fiscal 2009 budget proposal. Bush is requesting $987.6 billion for the next fiscal year, an increase of 4.9 percent over the current year. But nearly all of the increase is targeted to "national security" — the Pentagon and homeland security programs across the government — leaving an increase of less than 1 percent for domestic programs, which would divvy up $393 billion under Bush’s plan. The FY 2009 budget is available online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/.

The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has posted information from a public meeting that was held on Feb. 7, 2008 in Washington, DC. Topics of the meeting included: HAVA funding; studies on free absentee voting postage and use of social security information of first time mail registrants; state instructions on the national voter registration form. Go here for more information. Also, in regards to the National Voter Registration Act: EAC's Web site has new language notifying the public about the status of state requests for changes to state instructions on the national form. Go here for here information.

The Social Security Number Misuse Prevention Act (HR 5234) was introduced to the House on Feb. 6, 2008. The bill amends title 18, United States Code, and the Social Security Act to limit the misuse of Social Security numbers, to establish criminal penalties for such misuse, and for other purposes. A summary and the complete text of the legislation is available online.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is asking for public comment on "Evaluation Surveys for Demonstration of Speed Management Programs (including Automated and Traditional Enforcement)." NHTSA proposes to conduct telephone surveys to evaluate an intervention designed to reduce speeding. Sample size will range from 200 to 400 per survey wave depending on the geographic area unit being surveyed (state, community) and the evaluation design for the intervention (e.g., number of analytic groups). Interview length will be approximately 10 minutes. The surveys will collect information on attitudes, awareness knowledge and behavior related to the speed management program intervention. Surveys will be administered in areas where NHTSA is conducting speed management enforcement demonstration projects and similar control sites. The surveys will follow a pre-post design where they are administered prior to the implementation of the intervention and after its conclusion. Interim survey waves may also be administered if the duration of the intervention permits. In conducting the proposed surveys, the interviewers will use computer-assisted telephone interviewing to reduce interview length and minimize recording errors. A Spanish Language translation and bilingual interviewers will be used to minimize language barriers in participation. The proposed surveys will be anonymous. Comments must be received on or before April 4, 2008. More information is available in the Federal Register notice.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is requesting an extension of a currently approved collection of information on motorcycle helmet labeling. The National Traffic Vehicle Safety statute at 49 U.S.C. subchapter II standards and compliance, sections 30111 and 30117, authorizes the issuance of federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS). The Secretary is authorized to issue, amend, and revoke such rules and regulations as deemed necessary. The Secretary is also authorized to require manufacturers to provide information to first purchasers of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment when the equipment is purchased, in the form of printed matter placed in the vehicle or attached to the motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment. Using this authority, the agency issued the initial FMVSS No. 218, Motorcycle Helmets, in 1974. FMVSS No. 218 S5.6 requires that each helmet shall be labeled permanently and legibly in a manner such that the label(s) can be read easily without removing padding or any other permanent part. Comments must be received on or before April 4, 2008. View the Federal Register notice for more information.

AAMVA, in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is conducting a review of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs in each state to identify best practices that have had the greatest impact on reducing teen crash rates. The information will be evaluated by a select group of GDL research experts, highway safety advocates, AAMVA jurisdictional members and AAMVA staff to identify the most effective GDL Best Practices, which could be replicated by other jurisdictions. Grant funding will be available through AAMVA for up to six jurisdictions to utilize for implementing and piloting the Best Practices for one year. To submit your jurisdiction's GDL program or for more information, contact Karen Morton, Driver Licensing Program Director via e-mail or at (703) 908-8268.

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Don't forget the Public Affairs and Consumer Education (PACE) and Customer Service Delivery (CSD) Committees (when they existed as committees) created a turn-key campaign for jurisdictions to use when communicating the new rules for driver's license administration to your audiences. This strategy includes public outreach, media relations, print advertising collateral components and a Web site. Take a look!  And don't forget to visit the Web site www.licenseinfo.org. These resources can help you communicate Real ID changes to your customers!

Want to see your photo on the cover of MOVE? Submit the best photo that depicts the theme for each issue of MOVE, and it will be used on the cover and viewed by thousands of readers! So get out your camera and brush up on those photography skills! Be sure to review the submission guidelines and release form. The deadline for the spring issue is March 12, 2007 and the theme is “Foundations for Building Better Service.” For more information visit http://www.aamva.org/Publications/Move/ or e-mail move@aamva.org. Good luck!

If you haven’t already done so, please respond to the following surveys:

• Ontario – Red Light Cameras (Ends 02/25/2008)
• Pennsylvania – Vendor Photo (Ends 02/22/2008)
• Ontario – Motorized Medical Scooters (Ends 02/28/2008)
• West Virginia – Japanese Mini-Trucks (Ends 02/15/2008)