Inside This Issue...

On Feb. 22, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chertoff and Attorney General Mukasey gave a briefing on border security efforts, as part of a periodic update on progress on immigration, security and the border. The Department has built 300 miles of additional fencing, committed to hire over 18,000 border patrol by the end of the year, deployed new technology and unmanned aerial systems, and tightened document requirements for admission to the country. Secretary Chertoff concluded, “What we are doing is using all of the tools at our disposal to get the maximum leverage for our border patrol agents who have a very tough and important job to do. We have made a commitment to the American people to get the job done, and we are going to live up to that.” Read more on the DHS Web site.

A final rule has been issued that increases the maximum civil penalties for violations of the odometer tampering and disclosure requirements and certain administrative provisions of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. This action is taken pursuant to the Federal Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, which requires us to review and, as warranted, adjust penalties based on inflation at least every four years. This final rule is effective March 26, 2008. View more information on the final rule online.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has forwarded the Information Collection Request (ICR) on the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Program to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval of an extension of the currently approved collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. Send your comments by March 26, 2008. A comment to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication. More details are available in the Feb. 25 Federal Register notice.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces the availability of Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) modernization grant funding as authorized by Section 4123 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). This law included an appropriation of $28 million (FY 2006-2009) toward modernization of CDLIS. The FY 2006 and FY 2007 funding of $5 million and $7 million was awarded to AAMVA for development costs. The FY 2008 funding of $8 million being made available in this notice will be awarded to the states. The program is a discretionary grant program that provides funding for states to upgrade their driver licensing (DL) information systems to make them compatible with the new modernized CDLIS specifications. The agency in each state designated as the primary DL agency responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program is eligible to apply for grant funding. The grant period for any grant awarded under this program is effective from the date the agreement is executed until Sept. 30, 2010. To apply for funding, applicants must register with the grants.gov Web site and submit an application in accordance with instructions provided. Applications for grant funding must be submitted electronically to the FMCSA through the grants.gov Web site. FMCSA will initially consider funding for applications submitted by April 30, 2008, by qualified applicants. If additional funding remains available, applications submitted after April 30, 2008 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.  View the Federal Register notice for more information.

Most states earned average grades in a nationwide report card tracking state progress on the enactment of 15 model laws to curb the near record high number of deaths on the nation’s highways, according to an annual study issued Feb. 18 by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates). In its fifth annual report, the "2008 Roadmap to State Highway Safety Laws," Advocates graded each state and the District of Columbia based their adoption of 15 recommended traffic laws to require seat belt, child booster seat and motorcycle helmet use, and to strengthen teen driving and drunk driving statutes. The report found that no state has adopted all 15 traffic safety measures, and a combined total of only 25 new laws were enacted by the states in 2007, which leaves 324 potentially lethal loopholes that should be closed in 2008. The full report and a replay of the webcasted news conference can be found at www.saferoads.org.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announces that the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) will hold a public committee meeting in Washington, D.C. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday, March 12, 2008. Background and contact information is available in the Feb. 19 Federal Register notice.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended the comment period for the Hours of Service of Drivers interim final rule (IFR) published in the Federal Register on Dec. 17, 2007, for 30 days. The FMCSA received a request to extend the comment period from the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety on Feb. 7, 2008. The extension of the comment period will allow all interested parties additional time to submit comments to the interim final rule. Comments must be received on or before March 17, 2008. View the Feb. 20 Federal Register notice for more information.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposes to amend the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to implement reporting requirements for household goods motor carriers operating in interstate commerce under section 4214 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). SAFETEA-LU directs FMCSA to issue regulations requiring that each household goods motor carrier operating in interstate commerce submit a quarterly report summarizing specific information. These reports must include the number of shipments originating with, and delivered by, the carrier; the number and general category of complaints lodged by consumers with the carrier; the number of claims for loss and damage in excess of $500 filed with the carrier; and the number of such claims resolved, declined, and pending during the reporting period. Submit comments concerning this NPRM on or before April 21, 2008. More details are available in the Feb. 20 Federal Register notice.

The Privacy Act of 1974 and the E-Government Act of 2002 give federal agencies responsibilities for protecting personal information, including ensuring its security. Additionally, the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA) requires agencies to develop, document, and implement agency wide programs to provide security for their information and information systems (which include personally identifiable information and the systems on which it resides). The act also requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop technical guidance in specific areas, including minimum information security requirements for information and information systems. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed that agencies encrypt data on mobile computers or devices and follow NIST security guidelines regarding personally identifiable information that is accessed outside an agency’s physical perimeter. OMB announced in November 2007 that agencies that did not complete certain privacy and security requirements, including those just described, received a downgrade in their scores for progress in electronic government initiatives. According to OMB, it will continue working with agencies to help them strengthen their information security and privacy programs, especially as they relate to the protection of personally identifiable information. View the Government Accountability Office's (GAO’s) full report and/or highlights on this issue online.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced the 17th Public Meeting of members of the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN). CIREN is a collaborative effort to conduct research on crashes and injuries at eight Level 1 Trauma Centers across the United States linked by a computer network. Researchers can review data and share expertise, which may lead to a better understanding of crash injury mechanisms and the design of safer vehicles. Seven presentations on current research based on CIREN cases will be presented. The agenda will be posted to the CIREN Web site that can be accessed by going to the NHTSA homepage www.nhtsa.dot.gov/, click on Vehicle Safety Research on the right side of the top toolbar, then click on Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) in the box on the left. The agenda will be posted two weeks prior to the meeting. The meeting is scheduled from 8:30am to 4pm on Tuesday, March 25, 2008. More details are also available in the Feb. 22 Federal Register notice.

A teleconference has been scheduled by the National Safe Routes to School Task Force to the Secretary of Transportation. The purpose of the Task Force is to advise the Secretary of Transportation, through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety, on strategies to advance Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programs nationwide and to encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school pursuant to section 1404(h) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). During this teleconference, the Task Force will discuss their draft report to the Secretary. The teleconference meeting is scheduled from 1pm to 3pm (ET) on March 4, 2008. More information is available in the Feb. 22 Federal Register notice.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking public comments on an extension of a collection of information called "Compliance Labeling of Retroreflective Materials Heavy Trailer Conspicuity." Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment,” specifies requirements for vehicle lighting for the purposes of reducing traffic accidents and their tragic results by providing adequate roadway illumination, improved vehicle conspicuity, appropriate information transmission through signal lamps, in day, night, and other conditions of reduced visibility. The manufacturers of new tractors and trailers are required to certify that their products are equipped with retroreflective material complying with the requirements of the standard. Permanent labeling is used to identify retroreflective material having the minimum properties required for effective conspicuity of trailers at night. The information enables the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to make compliance inspections, and it aids tractor and trailer owners and repairs shops in choosing the correct repair materials for damaged tractors and trailers. It also aids smaller trailer manufacturers in certifying compliance of their products. The FHWA will not be able to determine whether trailers are properly equipped during roadside inspections without labeling. The use of cheaper and more common reflective materials, which are ineffective for the application, would be expected in repairs without the labeling requirement. Comments must be received on or before April 14, 2008. View the Federal Register notice for more details.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a correction in the Event Data Recorders rule document E8-407 beginning on page 2168 in the Federal Register issue of Monday, Jan. 14, 2008. The editorial corrections can be viewed in the Feb. 13, 2008 Federal Register.

Learn more about My AAMVA and how you can log in or register on the AAMVA Web site! My AAMVA gives you access to your contact information in the AAMVA membership system and allows you to update your preferences. My AAMVA also allows you to determine what you would like to see printed in the member-only online directory ... coming in March 2008! Visit My AAMVA today!

AAMVA has announced it next round of Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) training beginning on Thursday, March 20. All classes are held on Tuesdays or Thursday from 2 to 4pm (EST) via the Web with live instructors and subject matter experts and are free for AAMVA members. To attend a course or for questions, e-mail: trainer@aamva.org.  Additional information can also be found on the AAMVA Web site under Education and Training. Note there is one new course in this round: 3-Year Calculations for Serious Violations. 3-Year Calculations for Serious Violations is a CDLIS Advanced course that covers information pertaining to Table 2 of 49 CFR §383.51 Disqualifications for serious traffic violations and uses several examples to demonstrate how to properly determine and apply penalties for second and third serious convictions within 3 years. This course is recommended for those involved in the CDL program within their jurisdiction. Visit www.aamva.org/EducationTraining/MCSIATraining/ today!

The Georgia Department of Revenue has revoked the IRP registration for United Transportation, LLC., located in Wrightsville, Georgia. The Revenue Department unsuccessfully attempted to collect on a returned check for this account as did the Johnson County (Georgia) Tax Commissioner's Office for local taxes. AAMVA has been asked to post the list of plate registrations (available here) that are no longer valid and should not be operating in your state. Subject to the settlement of this account in full, Georgia will re-issue replacement registration plates. Please return any license plate to the Georgia Department of Revenue, IRP Office, 1200 Tradeport Blvd. Atlanta, GA. 30354. If you need any additional information, contact Douglas Hooper via e-mail or at (404) 362-6440.

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

• Utah – Street Legal All-terrain Vehicles (Ends 02/29/08)
• West Virginia – Administrative License Revocations (Ends 02/29/08)