S. 1474

119 S1474 IS: Vehicle Safety Research Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-04-10
 text/xml
 EN
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 II  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  S. 1474  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   April 10, 2025   Mr. Peters  (for himself and  Mr. Young ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation    A BILL
To codify the PARTS program of the Department of Transportation, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Vehicle Safety Research Act of 2025  .
2.
PARTS program
(a)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
External organization
The term  external organization  means a nonprofit organization or institution of higher education with experience fulfilling contracts with Federal agencies—
(A)
to carry out independent research; or
(B)
to administer federally-funded research and development centers.
(2)
PARTS program
The term  PARTS program  means the Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic Safety (PARTS) program established by subsection (b).
(3)
PARTS program participant
The term  PARTS program participant  means an entity that has—
(A)
voluntarily chosen to participate in the PARTS program; and
(B)
been accepted as a participant in the PARTS program under the charter developed pursuant to subsection (b).
(4)
Secretary
The term  Secretary  means the Secretary of Transportation.
(b)
Establishment
There is established in the Department of Transportation a program, to be known as the  Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic Safety (PARTS) program , which shall be a continuation of the Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic Safety (PARTS) program of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act).
(c)
Governance
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with PARTS program participants and any external organization that enters into a contract with the Secretary under subsection (d), shall develop a charter that shall govern the PARTS program.
(d)
PARTS program research
The Secretary shall enter into a contract with an external organization to conduct research to gather, analyze, and share certain traffic safety data and information pursuant to the PARTS program.
(e)
Information used for research pursuant to the parts program
Data submitted by PARTS program participants under the PARTS program shall be submitted in accordance with the charter developed under subsection (c), which shall, at minimum—
(1)
ensure that all data—
(A)
remains under the ownership and control of the applicable PARTS program participant; and
(B)
except as provided in paragraph (2), is not accessible by any other entity other than an external organization that enters into a contract with the Secretary under subsection (d);
(2)
prevent PARTS program participant data or data analysis from being shared with any other PARTS program participant without express permission granted through a process agreed to pursuant to—
(A)
the charter developed under subsection (c); or
(B)
a cooperative agreement entered into between a PARTS program participant and an external organization;
(3)
institute safeguards in data gathering and handling by an external organization pursuant to this subsection;
(4)
prevent reverse engineering aggregate data analysis results or other attempts to derive the identity of PARTS program participants from data analysis results;
(5)
outline the intended use of data analysis results, which shall only include—
(A)
the development, deployment, safety assessment, and regulation of safety technology; and
(B)
the development of safety countermeasures; and
(6)
clarify that the participation of a PARTS program participant in the PARTS program does not affect or satisfy any other existing Federal regulatory requirements, including reporting requirements mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
(f)
Confidentiality
Pursuant to section 552(b)(3)(B) of title 5, United States Code, any report, data, communications between, work product, or other information voluntarily submitted to the Secretary or an external organization that enters into a contract with the Secretary under subsection (d) for purposes relating to conducting research pursuant to the PARTS program shall not be disclosed to the public.
(g)
Applicability of Paperwork Reduction Act
Subchapter I of  chapter 35  of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the  Paperwork Reduction Act ), shall not apply to any report, data, communication, work product, or other information gathered under the PARTS program.
(h)
No regulations required
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not be required to promulgate any regulations to carry out the PARTS program.
(i)
Savings provision
This section shall not apply to any report, data, communication, work product, or other information—
(1)
required to be submitted to the Secretary under any other provision of law; or
(2)
otherwise available to the Secretary.
(j)
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the PARTS program—
(1)
for fiscal year 2026, $4,000,000;
(2)
for fiscal year 2027, $6,000,000;
(3)
for fiscal year 2028, $7,000,000;
(4)
for fiscal year 2029, $8,000,000; and
(5)
for fiscal year 2030, $9,000,000.