OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS.

SEC. 109. OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS. The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 is amended by inserting after section 124 the following new section: “Sec. 125. (a) Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall amend the Federal motor vehicle safety standard numbered 208 (49 CFR 571.208), so as to bring such standard into conformity with the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (b) of this section. Such amendment shall take effect not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this section. “(b) After the effective date of the amendment prescribed under subsection (a): “(1) No Federal motor vehicle safety standard may— “(A) have the effect of requiring, or “(B) provide that a manufacturer is permitted to comply with such standard by means of, any continuous buzzer designed to indicate that safety belts are not in use, or any safety belt interlock system. “(2) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (3), no Federal motor vehicle safety standard respecting occupant restraint systems may— “(A) have the effect of requiring, or “(B) provide that a manufacturer is permitted to comply with such standard by means of, an occupant restraint system other than a belt system. “(3)(A) Paragraph (2) shall not apply to a Federal motor vehicle safety standard which provides that a manufacturer is permitted to comply with such standard by equipping motor vehicles manufactured by him with either— “(i) a belt system, or “(ii) any other occupant restraint system specified in such standard. “(B) Paragraph (2) shall not apply to any Federal motor vehicle safety standard which the Secretary elects to promulgate in accordance with the procedure specified in subsection (c), unless it is disapproved by both Houses of Congress by concurrent resolution in accordance with subsection (d). “(C) Paragraph (2) shall not apply to a Federal motor vehicle safety standard if at the time of promulgation of such standard (i) the 60-day period determined under subsection (d) has expired with respect to any previously promulgated standard which the Secretary has elected to promulgate in accordance with subsection (c), and (ii) both Houses of Congress have not by concurrent resolution within such period disapproved such previously promulgated standard. 88 Stat. 1483 “(c) The procedure referred to in subsection (b)(3)(B) and (C) in accordance with which the Secretary may elect to promulgate a standard is as follows: “(1) The standard shall be promulgated in accordance with section 103 of this Act, subject to the other provisions of this subsection. “(2) Section 553 of title 5, United States Code, shall apply to such standard; except that the Secretary shall afford interested persons an opportunity for oral as well as written presentation of data, views, or arguments. A transcript shall be kept of any oral presentation. “(3) The chairmen and ranking minority members of the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee shall be notified in writing of any proposed standard to which this section applies. Any Member of Congress may make an oral presentation of data, views, or arguments under paragraph (2). “(4) Any standard promulgated pursuant to this subsection shall be transmitted to both Houses of Congress, on the same day and to each House while it is in session. In addition, such standard shall be transmitted to the chairmen and ranking minority members of the committees referred to in paragraph (3). “(d)(1) A standard which the Secretary has elected to promulgate in accordance with subsection (c) shall not be effective if, during the first period of 60 calendar days of continuous session of Congress after the date of transmittal to Congress, both Houses of Congress pass a concurrent resolution the matter after the resolving clause of which reads as follows: ‘The Congress disapproves the Federal motor vehicle safety standard transmitted to Congress on ____________ , 19__ .’; (the blank space being filled with date of transmittal of the standard to Congress). If both Houses do not pass such a resolution during such period, such standard shall not be effective until the expiration of such period (unless the standard specifies a later date). “(2) For purposes of this section— “(A) continuity of session of Congress is broken only by an adjournment sine die; and “(B) the days on which either House is not in session because of an adjournment of more than 3 days to a day certain are excluded in the computation of the 60-day period. “(e) This section shall not impair any right which any person may have to obtain judicial review of a Federal motor vehicle safety standard. “(f) For purposes of this section: “(1) The term ‘safety belt interlock’ means any system designed to prevent starting or operation of a motor vehicle if one or more occupants of such vehicle are not using safety belts. “(2) The term ‘belt system’ means an occupant restraint system consisting of integrated lap and shoulder belts for front outboard occupants and lap belts for other occupants. With respect to (A) motor vehicles other than passenger vehicles, (B) convertibles, and (C) open-body type vehicles, such term also includes an occupant restraint system consisting of lap belts or lap belts combined with detachable shoulder belts. 88 Stat. 1484 “(3) The term ‘occupant restraint system’ means a system the principal purpose of which is to assure that occupants of a motor vehicle remain in their seats in the event of a collision or rollover. Such term does not include a warning device designed to indicate that seat belts are not in use. “(4) The term ‘continuous buzzer’ means a buzzer other than a buzzer which operates only during the 8 second period after the ignition is turned to the ‘start’ or ‘on’ position.”