AAMVA and IRP, Inc. Offices Closed on July 4 
AAMVA and IRP, Inc. offices will be closed on Friday, July 4th in observance of the Independence Day holiday. Offices will reopen on Monday, July 7. In 2006, 27 percent of all drivers involved in traffic related crashes during the Fourth of July holiday period possessed a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, which is the illegal limit in all states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. During the July 4th holiday period there were a total of 659 traffic related fatalities. Out of that number, 37 percent involved a driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of .08 or higher. Law enforcement personnel will be out in full force during the holiday weekend. AAMVA urges motorists and pedestrians alike to be safe and to use caution during the holiday weekend.
Comment Period Extended for CDL Testing & Learner's Permit Standards
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended the public comment period for the Commercial Learners Permit and Testing NPRM from June 9, 2008 to July 9, 2008. The notice was published in the Federal Register on Monday, June 9, 2008 and can be viewed at http://www.federalregister.gov, (docket # FMCSA-2007-27659). AAMVA distributed
a matrix on April 16 to assist states in evaluating the rule. E-mail
Karen Morton or
Pam Walker a copy of your jurisdiction’s comments for the record so AAMVA can use the jurisdiction comments as the basis for the Association comments for the docket.
Final Rule on Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug, Alcohol Testing Programs
A
final rule was issued in the June 25
Federal Register regarding transportation workplace drug and alcohol testing programs. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is amending certain provisions of its drug and alcohol testing procedures to change instructions to collectors, laboratories, medical review officers, and employers regarding adulterated, substituted, diluted, and invalid urine specimen results. These changes are intended to create consistency with specimen validity requirements established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and to clarify and integrate some measures taken in two of DOT's Interim Final Rules.
This Final Rule, effective Aug. 25, 2008, makes specimen validity testing mandatory within the regulated transportation industries. View the
June 25 Federal Register notice for more details.
House Passes Bill to Reauthorize Law Enforcement Grant Program
On June 26, the House passed a bill to reauthorize Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. The program is one the Bush administration has repeatedly sought to eliminate. The bill (
HR 3546), would authorize $1.1 billion annually through fiscal 2012 for the program. The program is named for New York City police officer Edward Byrne, who was killed in the line of duty. Established in a 1988 anti-drug law (PL 100-690), the program supports state and local law enforcement efforts, including drug task forces, gang prevention and prosecution initiatives.
NPRM on Electronic Odometer Disclosure
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the
June 24 Federal Register related to proposed changes to the U.S. federal odometer disclosure requirements, and specifically provides for an initial determination approving an electronic odometer disclosure procedure proposed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. NHTSA is looking for comments from other states, as well as other interested parties, before they decide on final approve of the proposed changes. Comments are due no later than July 24, 2008. AAMVA encourages you to read the NPRM and submit comments to NHTSA. Final approval of the proposed changes will allow Virginia to implement the first "fully" electronic title system and will make it possible for other states to petition NHTSA when they are ready to move to an electronic title system. Additional information on submission of comments is available in the
Federal Register notice. If you submit comments to NHTSA, AAMVA requests you provide a copy of those comments to Keith Kiser at
kkiser@aamva.org.
FHWA Offers Additional Grants to Spur Innovation
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will award $1 million through a second round of grants under the Highways for LIFE Technology Partnerships Program. The purpose of the Technology Partnership Program is to partner organizations and companies with the highway construction industry to accelerate the adoption of promising innovations that reduce congestion from construction and improve safety and quality. FHWA anticipates publishing the solicitation in
Grants.gov about July 24, 2008, with a closing date at the end of August. Each grant award will range from $200,000 to $500,000 for up to two years of performance. Competition is open to all non-profit and for-profit organizations except state and local governments and institutions of higher education. State and local agencies, local municipalities, and academic institutions are excluded from competition as prime awardees but are encouraged to participate as a partner at the sub level. For more information on the Technology Partnerships Program, and previous awardees, go to
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/tech.cfm. Individuals can sign up to receive an e-mail notification when the solicitation is published in
Grants.gov.
380,000 Jobs in Jeopardy Because Congress Fails to Rescue Transportation Account
On June 26, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) released a statement to the press saying that an estimated 380,000 thousand jobs and hundreds of construction projects are in jeopardy across the nation after Congress failed to fix a 3.3 billion dollar deficit in the Highway Trust Fund. The House and Senate dropped a provision from a three-month aviation tax extension bill that would have provided $8 billion to keep the nation's transportation account solvent. Most states depend on federal funding to support transportation projects, but states won't know if their federal highway funding will be cut by 34 percent until their fiscal year begins. For many states, the fiscal year starts on July 1. This failure to act sets the stage for a last minute effort in late September to rescue America's Transportation Account. If that does not occur, the federal-aid highway program will be reduced by $13.5 and $20 billion. This loss would be another blow to the transportation industry, which is suffering from a stagnant economy, high fuel prices, inflationary pressures, and natural disasters.
Spat Halts Markup of 2009 Appropriations Bill
According to Congressional Quarterly, the House Appropriations Committee adjourned abruptly on the morning of June 26, during its markup of the fiscal 2009 Labor-HHS-Education and Agriculture bills when Jerry Lewis, the panel’s ranking Republican, tried to bring up the Interior-Environment appropriations bill and push an energy amendment. Chairman Obey refused to commit to further markups or to bring any of the fiscal 2009 appropriations bills to the floor. "If they don’t want regular order, then they will have to accept the consequences of a continuing resolution. I think we probably had our last meeting of the year, and this will go on a continuing resolution," Obey said, referring to stopgap legislation that would fund the government for weeks or months into the 2009 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
Duke Confirmed as DHS Under Secretary for Management
On June 27, the Senate confirmed Elaine C. Duke as Under Secretary for Management for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duke served as the deputy Under Secretary for Management and previously as the Chief Procurement Officer. In 2002, she served as a Deputy Assistant Administrator with the Transportation Security Administration, where she successfully delivered an acquisition program that met the post 9/11 legislative mandate to federalize passenger screening and baggage screening at airports. View DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff's
statement for more details.
More Robust Test Data Now Available for NMVTIS Theft File
AAMVA has worked with the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the operator of the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) Theft File, to ensure that more robust test data be made available to states in the NMVTIS Theft File test environment. This data will allow the states to test a wider range of scenarios, including those resulting from theft hits on a variety of vehicles. We encourage both current and developing NMVTIS states to test with this more robust data as needed. For more information, contact AAMVA Operations at (888) AAMVA-80 (888-226-8280).
What Do You Think of AAMVA's Web Site?
AAMVA has changed the section on the homepage that featured buttons linking to information based on audience type. These buttons are now sorted by subject matter (topics of interest to members). What do you think about this new feature and other features on the Web site? Please take a few minutes to respond to our
Web Evaluation Survey. Your input is important to the association and will help improve the Web site.
Don't Miss Out on FDR Training in August!
AAMVA University will conduct Fraudulent Document Recognition (FDR) Level II Training from Aug. 19 to 22 in Columbus, Ohio. This four-day course demonstrates how participants can contribute to fraud prevention efforts. The course combines the material from FDR Level I with a more in-depth look at covert security features. Participants will engage in a hands-on experience evaluating various documents using UV lights and magnification loupes to build awareness of altered and counterfeited documents. There is no pre-requisite for this course. For more information, visit the events section of
www.aamva.org or contact Linda Honig at
lhonig@aamva.org or (866) 908-8270.
The cut-off for discounted hotel rates is July 17.AAMVA Lends Support to National Teen Driver Safety Week
National Teen Driver Safety Week is Oct. 19-25, 2008, and AAMVA is lending support to this worthwhile effort. Did you know that the presence of one passenger doubles the fatal crash risk for a teen driver (ages 16-19 years)--two or more peer passengers can increase fatal crash risk by four to five times. A study of older child passenger (ages 8 to 17) crash fatalities found that one of the biggest factors for death was a driver under the age of 20. Most teens do not perceive novice teen drivers to be "inexperienced." They also do not consider carrying peer passengers to be a particular safety risk for novice teen drivers.
Jurisdictions can help too! Take the survey then mark your calendar! Between now and July 9,
participate in a Web-based survey of traffic safety professionals and school-based practitioners. We also encourage you to pass this survey opportunity on to interested colleagues, by forwarding this e-mail or posting to applicable listservs. In late July-early September, a complete set of download-ready tools will be made available from
www.chop.edu/youngdrivers by the week of Sept. 8, courtesy of State Farm Insurance Companies® and CHOP. Look for informational Webinars and tools to be available beginning in late July (through early September) that will help practitioners and organizers plan for National Teen Driver Safety Week. Look to
www.chop.edu/youngdrivers for regular updates. For more information, contact
Karen Morton.
Motor Vehicle & Traffic Law Institute Registration Available
The
July 11, 2008, room cut-off is almost here so
make your reservation with the hotel today while accommodations are still available. Mention the AAMVA Law Institute to receive the special conference room rate. Don't forget to
pre-register for the event!
Fraud Early Warning System Training
Fraud Early Warning System (FEWS) helps jurisdictions reduce fraud by coordinating the notice of fraudulent documents encountered and lost/stolen licensing equipment. This service is free for jurisdictions, is easy to use and administer, and is brought to you by AAMVA in partnership with law enforcement and FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration). Currently, 18 jurisdictions are participating, with more coming online, and they have found FEWS to be an effective tool combating document fraud including fraudulent or stolen driver's licenses/permits, ID cards, Social Security cards, birth certificates, passports, etc. To support this effort AAMVA University is offering 3 new courses: FEWS Basic, FEWS Advanced, and FEWS Jurisdiction Administrator. These courses are free for jurisdictions, are delivered via the web with live instructors and subject matter experts and will be included in the next round of advanced training courses starting July 10. Go to
http://aamva.webroom.com, self register on the site and self-enroll into any of the available courses. Complete course descriptions and information are available on the site. If you have questions or need assistance, e-mail
trainer@aamva.org.
Share Information with Other Jurisdictions
If you haven’t already done so, please respond to the following surveys:
IRP Notice: New Plan Effective Tomorrow
Per
Ballot 333, the revised International Registration Plan is effective starting July 1, 2008. Please click
here to view the Plan and the accompanying Audit Procedures Manual (APM), which also went through revisions in Ballot 333. To assist jurisdictions in implementing the Plan Rewrite, IRP, Inc. has created several documents that outline the top 16 Plan changes, which are also posted to the "Plan" section of the IRP, Inc. Web site under the "Publications" tab. These include a Fact Sheet, Quick Reference Guide, New Application Checklist, and New Registration Checklist. Please contact
Joelle Ward or
Ken Carey with any questions or for more information.
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