Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 113 Part 3.djvu/251

 PUBLIC LAW 106-159—DEC. 9, 1999 113 STAT. 1769 (e) SAVINGS CLAUSE. —No provision of this section may be enforced if it is inconsistent with any international agreement of the United States. (f) ACTS OF EMPLOYEES. —The actions of any employee driver of a foreign motor carrier or foreign motor private carrier committed without the knowledge of the carrier or committed unintentionally shall not be grounds for penalty or disqualification under this section. SEC. 220. TRAFFIC LAW INITLVTIVE. (a) IN GENERAL.— In cooperation with one or more States, the Secretary may carry out a program to develop innovative methods of improving motor carrier compliance with traffic laws. Such methods may include the use of photography and other imaging technologies. (b) REPORT.— The Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of any program conducted under this section, together with any recommendations as the Secretary determines appropriate. SEC. 221. STATE-TO-STATE NOTIFICATION OF VIOLATIONS DATA. (a) DEVELOPMENT.—In cooperation with the States, the Secretary shall develop a uniform system to support the electronic transmission of data State-to-State on convictions for all motor vehicle traffic control law violations by individuals possessing a commercial drivers' licenses as required by paragraphs (9) and (19) of section 31311(a) of title 49, United States Code. (b) STATUS REPORT. —Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on the status of the implementation of this section. SEC. 222. MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM ASSESSMENTS. (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation should ensure that motor carriers operate safely by imposing civil penalties at a level calculated to ensure prompt and sustained compliance with Federal motor carrier safety and commercial driver's license laws. (b) ESTABLISHMENT. —The Secretary— (1) should establish and assess minimum civil penalties for each violation of a law referred to in subsection (a); and (2) shall assess the maximum civil penalty for each violation of a law referred to in subsection (a) by any person who is found to have committed a pattern of violations of critical or acute regulations issued to carry out such a law or to have previously committed the same or a related violation of critical or acute regulations issued to carry out such a law. (c) EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES.— If the Secretary determines and documents that extraordinary circumstances exist which merit the assessment of any civil penalty lower than any level established under subsection (b), the Secretary may assess such lower penalty. In cases where a person has been found to have previously committed the same or a related violation of critical or acute regulations issued to carry out a law referred to in subsection (a), extraordinary circumstances may be found to exist when the Secretary determines that repetition of such violation does not demonstrate a failure to take appropriate remedial action. 49 USC 31131 note. 49 USC 31311 note. Deadline. 49 USC 521 note.

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