ap gov bill leland

8/3/2019 AP Gov Bill Leland

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Fox/Leland

Bill

HR: 3,024A BILL TO MODERNIZE

INTERSTATE SPEED LIMIT

REGULATIONS


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A BILL TO MODERNIZE INTERSTATE SPEED LIMIT REGULATIONS

Be it enacted by this Student Congress that this Bill seeks to benefit the American

Economy by improving the efficiency of Federal Interstate Freeways.

Section 1: General Overview

1A: The Interstate Modernization Act will serve to update current federal speed limit regulationsto parallel the modernization of motor vehicles. Therefore, current speed limits will change tomodel after the Autobahn rules of Germany. According to the Transportation Research Record,in general, there is no speed limit on the autobahn, except for designated stretches ofroadway The German government recommends a speed limit of 130 km per hour, or 81 miles

per hour.

1B: By means of the Interstate Commerce Clause of the Constitution, The Interstate

Modernization Act will serve to increase the efficiency of Federal Interstates. In essence, motor

vehicles will be provided more freedom in terms of speed due to significant improvements in

safety and efficiency. Furthermore, private and commercial motor vehicles will together benefit

due to reduced commute travel times as well as reduced cross-country travel times on Interstate

Highways.

1C: In the drafting of The Interstate Modernization Act, maintaining adequate safety has been asecondary priority to improved Interstate efficiency. Safety has been held as a secondarypriority due to research suggesting that increased speed limits within Germanys Autobahn hasnot affected fatality rates. German studies, as reported by the Transportation Research Record,have shown the rate of fatal accidents is no higher in stretches without speed limits than inspeed-restricted areas.

1D: Under The Interstate Modernization Act, there will be no general speed limit in federally

determined derestriction zones. Rather, there will only be a recommended speed of 80 mph.

However, speed limits will remain in effect in heavy traffic areas, metropolitan areas, and high

hazard areas (IE: Mountain Pass Zones, Steep Incline Zones, Construction Zones)

Section 2: Enforcement Guidelines

2A: The States will be in charge of enforcement of federal derestriction zones by means of

State Patrol agencies already in place. Also the States will be responsible for providing the


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adequate training to officers that will patrol derestriction zones. Furthermore, States will be

responsible to provide officers with vehicles capable of speeds over 150 mph. They can do this

by purchasing federally commissioned pursuit vehicles from American automakers defined in

section 3D.

2B: The states will be the sole benefiters of revenue gained from fines and licensing fees inorder to integrate into their budgets or to further increase enforcement of federal derestriction

zones (recommended). If need be, States can apply for more monetary support through the

Department of Transportation which will be the chief agency providing oversight of derestriction

zones.

2C: In derestriction zones the law would be that any amount of people can be in the motor

vehicle under the recommended 80 mph, 2 people under 100 mph, and only 1 person in 100

mph plus. Enforcement of these laws is designated in the next section.

2D: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate person amount in derestriction

zones. In violation of the of the sub-100 mph 2 person rule, the fine shall be 500$. In violation

of the 100 mph plus 1 person rule, the fine shall be 1000$.

2E: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate traffic laws in derestriction

zones. All current Interstate traffic rules still apply, and fines in place already will remain the

same dollar amount if offense occurs under the recommended 80 mph. However, upon

exceeding the recommended speed, the fine amount for traffic violations triples.

2F: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate reckless endangerment

offenses in derestriction zones. Any reckless endangerment offenses (IE: Racing, Aggressive

Driving, Road Rage) that occur under the recommended 80 mph, shall be subject to theconsequences already in place. However, upon exceeding the recommended speed, the effect

of the consequences shall triple. (IE: tripled dollar amounts in fines, tripled lengths of license

revocation periods, tripled jail times for the most severe of offenses)

2G: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate persons with a DUI in

derestriction zones. Any person with a DUI cannot exceed the recommended 80 mph within 3

years of receiving their license back. In violation of this rule, the offender shall be subject to a

3000$ fine and revocation of their license for 1 month.

2H: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate persons with a recent accident

on record in derestriction zones. Any persons who were the sole cause of a recent accident onrecord cannot exceed the recommended 80 mph within 6 months of the accident on record. In

violation of this rule, the offender shall be subject to a 500$ fine as well as restart on the initial 6

month probation period.

2I: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate drivers with a learning permit in

derestriction zones. Any persons with only a learning permit are not allowed to exceed the


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recommended 80 mph. In violation of this rule, the offender shall have their learning permit

revoked for 2 years or till the age of 18 (whichever is longer), and they must redo all the

requirements upon the end of their revocation period to attain a license.

2J: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate newly-licensed drivers in

derestriction zones. Any newly-licensed drivers are not allowed to exceed the recommended80 mph within 6 months of receiving their license. In violation of this rule, the offender shall be

subject to a 500$ fine as well as restart on the initial 6 month probation period.

2K: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate under-qualified drivers (no

learning permit, no license) in derestriction zones. Any under-qualified drivers caught shall be

subject to same consequences already in place if not exceeding the recommended 80 mph.

However, if the under-qualified driver is caught exceeding the recommended speed, then the

offender will have their vehicle impounded for a minimum 90 days and must pay a fee of 1000$

to attain their vehicle along with the storing and towing expenses.

2L: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate large/oversized vehicles in

derestriction zones. Any vehicles over 7,000 pounds are not allowed to exceed the

recommended 80 mph. Only federally approved vehicles defined in section 3E exceeding the

7,000 pounds are allowed to exceed the recommended speed. In violation of this rule, the

offender driving the vehicle shall be subject to a 500$ fine.

2M: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate motorcyclists in derestriction

zones. Any motorcyclists are subject to the same fines stated above and must adhere to the

traffic rules already in place that are specific to motorcyclists. Therefore, motorcyclists are

allowed to exceed the recommended 80 mph.

2N: The following enforcements will be implemented to regulate foreign motorists and vehicles

in derestriction zones. Foreign Motorists are expected to adhere to same laws and fines as

American Citizens. Therefore, Foreign Motorists have the obligation reading appropriate

material defining the new Interstate regulations that shall be provided to them upon entering the

country.

Section 3: Federal Spending

3A: Projected Federal spending in terms of a dollar amount shall be handled by the

Appropriations Committee. Therefore, the necessary Federal money designated in the sections

below will be determined by the committee. Upon passing, the portion of the Federal Budget

used in the implementation of the Interstate Modernization Act shall be funneled through The


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Department of Transportation.

3B: All Federal money involved in the implementation of the measures stated above shall be

funneled through the Department of Transportation. Thus, the Department of Transportation

shall be the chief agency providing oversight to the transition and operation of the new Interstatesystem. Federal money will be provided to install a permanent division within the Department of

Transportation specific to the new Interstate system. The division will manage the money

affiliated with this new Interstate system as defined in the next sections below.

3C: Necessary Federal money will be needed in order to change the signs already present on

Interstates to the appropriate signs necessary for the new Interstate system. Costs will include

the production of new signs, the recycling/disposal of the old signs, and all the affiliated labor

and shipping fees.

3D: Necessary Federal money will be needed in order to change Interstate laws formally, and to

produce new material outlining the new Interstate system to inform drivers and law enforcement

agencies. Costs will include undergoing legal procedures to change laws, providing materials to

states about the new laws, and providing material to drivers and law enforcement agencies

about the new laws.

3E: Necessary Federal money will be needed in order to commission the production of

necessary pursuit vehicles from American Auto Manufactures (IE: Ford, GM, Dodge). American

Auto Manufactures, under these commissions, must build pursuit models of sport vehicles that

are capable of safe speeds over 150 mph. Sport Models permitted for modification (Ford

Mustang Roush, Chevy Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper)

3F: Necessary Federal money will be needed in order to commission the production of more

federally approved efficient commercial vehicles capable of exceeding the recommended 80

mph in derestriction zones. The Department of Transportation will be in charge of setting

guidelines to federal standards, and they will be in charge of confirming or denying modified

commercial vehicles.

Section 4: Date of Implementation

4A: The Date of Implementation of The Interstate Modernization Act will be set for June 1, 2015.

This date will allow preemptive measures to be taken in order to have a smooth transition. Also

this date will allow for extended improvements in car safety and efficiency. Furthermore, the

date allows non-commercial and commercial auto companies to design and build the

commissioned cars defined in the sections above.

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