Use of Safety Belts and Motorcycle Helmets; Compliance and Transfer-of-Funds Procedures

This rule implements portions of the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 that changed the transfer-of-funds provisions contained in section 153 of title 23, United States Code. As amended, section 153 subjects a State to a transfer of funds apportioned under its Federal-aid highway programs to its apportionment under the section 402 highway safety program if the State fails to enact safety belt use legislation. There is no longer a requirement that a State also enact motorcycle helmet use legislation in order to avoid the transfer of funds. Maine and New Hampshire are provided alternative compliance criteria to avoid the transfer of funds. This rule amends the existing regulation concerning determinations of compliance and transfers of funds to reflect these statutory changes.