Inside This Issue...

AAMVA is very pleased to announce that Arkansas has successfully loaded its VIN pointer and brand data into the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) and is providing updates. The U.S. vehicle population now represented in NMVTIS is 78 percent. Congratulations Arkansas! For more information about NMVTIS federal compliance requirements, please contactNMVTIS Program Manager Marney Michalowski.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unveils its $56.3 billion fiscal year 2011 budget request—prioritizing efforts to enhance security measures that protect against terrorism and other threats and reflecting the Department’s commitment to fiscal discipline and efficiency. President Obama’s budget request for DHS strengthens the ongoing work across the Department in each of DHS’ five major mission areas—preventing terrorism and enhancing security; securing and managing the nation’s borders; smart and effective enforcement of immigration laws; safeguarding and securing cyberspace; and ensuring resiliency to disasters. The budget request also includes a total of $103.4 million for the E-Verify Program. In FY 2011, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will develop and implement an E-Verify portal that will provide a single-user interface for the program’s products and services. In addition, USCIS will enhance E-Verify’s monitoring and compliance activities through analytical capabilities that will support more robust fraud detection and improved analytic processes and will continue developing system enhancements in response to customer feedback, surveys, mission requirements and capacity needs. Further details are available in the press release and a 2011 budget request fact sheet.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a final rule increasing the maximum civil penalty amounts for violations of motor vehicle safety requirements involving school buses, bumper standards, consumer information requirements, odometer tampering and disclosure requirements, and vehicle theft protection requirements. The final rule is effective March 4, 2010. View the Feb. 2, 2010 Federal Register notice for more details.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published the final rule on occupant crash protection. Along with the final rule, NHTSA also provides its response to petitions for reconsideration of a Nov. 12, 2008 final rule that amended the child restraint systems (CRSs) prescribed in Appendix A of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant crash protection." The Nov. 12, 2008 final rule established a new appendix, "Appendix A-1," which effectively deleted seven older CRSs, added five new CRSs, and provided cosmetic replacements for seven others. The final rule published on Feb. 8, 2010 grants some aspects of two of the petitions. All other requests are denied. This final rule is effective April 9, 2010. If you wish to petition for reconsideration of this rule, your petition must be received by March 25, 2010. View the Feb. 8, 2010 Federal Register for more information.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend FMVSS No. 116, Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, so that brake fluids would be tested with ethylene, propylene, and diene terpolymer (EPDM) rubber, as this type of rubber is increasingly being used in brake fluid seals. This NPRM also updates references to standards issued by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the American Society for Materials and Testing (ASTM) and corrects minor errors in the standard. Comments must be received on or before April 5, 2010. View the Feb. 3, 2010 Federal Register notice for more details.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the Feb. 8, 2010 launch of a new online public engagement tool designed to solicit input from the public on ways to enhance transparency, participation, collaboration and innovation at the DHS—part of President Obama's Open Government Directive. The new online tool is available Feb. 6-March 19 at www.dhs.gov/open allows members of the public and interested stakeholders to submit ideas and suggestions on ways DHS can enhance transparency, participation, collaboration and innovation. The ideas submitted will help guide the development of an official DHS Open Government plan. For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/open

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is proposing to amend certain provisions of its drug testing procedures dealing with laboratory testing of urine specimens. Some of the proposed changes will also affect the roles and standards applying to collectors and Medical Review Officers. The proposed changes are intended to create consistency with new requirements established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Mandatory Guidelines. Comments on this proposed rulemaking are due April 5, 2010. Late-filed comments will be considered to the extent possible. More details are available in the Feb. 4, 2010 Federal Register.

The American Sleep Apnea Association (ASAA) released the agenda for its Sleep Apnea & Trucking Conference May 11-12 in Baltimore, Md. Co-sponsored by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), this landmark meeting offers much needed information about sleep apnea diagnosis, treatment and compliance along with expert presentations on regulatory, medical, legal and management topics. An early bird discount price of $195 for registration ends Feb. 28, 2010 ($245 registration as of March 1). All attendees and participants receive a comprehensive resource toolkit, which augments the conference information with additional details and guidance on the management of sleep apnea in trucking. For additional information, contact Reid Blank at rblank@sleepapnea.org or visit the conference Web site at www.satc2010.org.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a final rule on Feb. 2, 2010 that amends regulations implementing the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) program. The rule change allows disposal facilities an additional 90 days, for a total of 270 days, to crush or shred a vehicle traded in under the CARS program. The extension is intended to allow for the availability of lower cost used vehicle parts taken from vehicles traded in under the CARS program. More time will also provide disposal facilities with an opportunity to gain more revenue from those vehicles before crushing or shredding them. View the Feb. 2, 2010 Federal Register notice for more details.

The AAMVA Committees Webinar Series is pleased to announce that registration is open for the webinar titled "Partner with ICE for Fraud Prevention and Security." Hear from Keith Fowler, national program manager, Office of Investigations, Identity and Benefit Fraud Unit in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the power of partnership in the fight against fraud. Gain insight on a recent investigation with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) and other agencies, during which an MVA employee was found to have issued more than 200 fraudulent driver's licenses. Learn about investigative techniques used and how the partnership between ICE and MVA agencies led to the arrest of multiple individuals involved in the scheme. Get tips on how to develop working relationships with local ICE offices to help with your fraud and investigative needs. Join us Feb. 24, 2010, 2-3 p.m. (ET) for the webinar "Partner with ICE for Fraud and Security." Register today!

The AAMVA and IRP, Inc. headquarters offices are closed Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010 due the recent blizzard of 2010 that hit the D.C. metro area. Both AAMVA and IRP, Inc. follow the federal government guidelines for closures due to inclement weather. Many AAMVA employees are available remotely. Please note that another significant snow storm is expected to hit our area Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday which may cause more closures. AAMVA's homepage will display any notices in the event of more closures, or delays.

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

• Texting Laws (Ends 02/22/2010)
• Driver Abstracts (Ends 02/16/2010)

If you need a Web password, please contact Janice Dluzynski at (703) 908-5842 or jdluzynski@aamva.org.

On Dec 22, 2009, Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuno signed a law invalidating all copies of  certified Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010, and prohibits the retention of certified birth certificates by public and private entities effective Jan. 1, 2010. The primary purpose of the law is to prevent identity theft and passport fraud perpetrated by criminals who illegally obtain copies of certified birth certificates from institutions in Puerto Rico. AAMVA and its members feel it is important they know your jurisdiction’s plans regarding this new law. Please respond to this brief survey. If you need a Web password, please contact Janice Dluzynski at (703) 908-5842 or jdluzynski@aamva.org