1. (a) Financial Assistance Program.—

   1. (1) In general.— The Secretary of Transportation shall administer a financial assistance program for commercial driver’s license program implementation for the purposes described in paragraphs (2) and (3).

   2. (2) State commercial driver’s license program implementation grants.— In carrying out the program, the Secretary may make a grant to a State agency in a fiscal year—

      1. (A) to assist the State in complying with the requirements of section 31311; and

      2. (B) in the case of a State that is making a good faith effort toward substantial compliance with the requirements of section 31311, to improve the State’s implementation of its commercial driver’s license program, including expenses—

         1. (i) for computer hardware and software;
         2. (ii) for publications, testing, personnel, training, and quality control;
         3. (iii) for commercial driver’s license program coordinators; and
         4. (iv) to implement or maintain a system to notify an employer of an operator of a commercial motor vehicle of the suspension or revocation of the operator’s commercial driver’s license consistent with the standards developed under section 32303(b) of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Enhancement Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 31304 note).

   3. (3) Priority activities.— The Secretary may make a grant to or enter into a cooperative agreement with a State agency, local government, or any person in a fiscal year for research, development and testing, demonstration projects, public education, and other special activities and projects relating to commercial drivers licensing and motor vehicle safety that—

      1. (A) benefit all jurisdictions of the United States;
      2. (B) address national safety concerns and circumstances;
      3. (C) address emerging issues relating to commercial driver’s license improvements;
      4. (D) support innovative ideas and solutions to commercial driver’s license program issues;
      5. (E) support, in addition to funds otherwise available for such purposes, the recognition, prevention, and reporting of human trafficking; or
      6. (F) address other commercial driver’s license issues, as determined by the Secretary.
2. (b) Prohibitions.— A recipient may not use financial assistance funds awarded under this section to rent, lease, or buy land or buildings.
3. (c) Report.— The Secretary shall issue an annual report on the activities carried out under this section.
4. (d) Apportionment.— All amounts made available to carry out this section for a fiscal year shall be apportioned to a recipient described in subsection (a)(3) according to criteria prescribed by the Secretary.
5. (e) Funding.— For fiscal years beginning after September 30, 2016, this section shall be funded under section 31104.

(Added Pub. L. 109–59, title IV, § 4124(a), Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1736; amended Pub. L. 112–141, div. C, title II, § 32604(a), (b)(1), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 808, 809; Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title V, § 5104(a), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1527; Pub. L. 115–99, § 4, Jan. 3, 2018, 131 Stat. 2242.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 32303(b) of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Enhancement Act of 2012, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B)(iv), is section 32303(b) of title II of div. C of Pub. L. 112–141, which is set out as a note under section 31304 of this title.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 31313, Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1027, related to grants for issuing commercial drivers’ licenses and complying with State participation requirements, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–178, title IV, § 4011(f), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 408.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a)(3)(E), (F). Pub. L. 115–99 added subpar. (E) and redesignated former subpar. (E) as (F).

2015—Pub. L. 114–94 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to grants for commercial driver’s license program implementation.

2012—Pub. L. 112–141, § 32604(b)(1), substituted “implementation” for “improvements” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–141, § 32604(a), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) related to grants for commercial driver’s license program improvements.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–94 effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as a note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Effective Date of 2012 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 112–141 effective Oct. 1, 2012, see section 3(a) of Pub. L. 112–141, set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 2012 Amendment note under section 101 of Title 23, Highways.

Relief for Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards for Fiscal Years 2019 and 2020

Period of availability during which a recipient may expend grant amounts under this section extended for amounts awarded for fiscal years 2019 and 2020, see section 441 of div. N of Pub. L. 116–260, set out as a note under section 31102 of this title.