THEFT PREVENTION STANDARD.

SEC. 302. THEFT PREVENTION STANDARD. Section 602 of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act (15 U.S.C. 2022) is amended— (1) by amending subsection (d)(1) to read as follows: “(d) (1) In the case of major parts installed by the motor vehicle manufacturer, the standard under this section may not require any part to have more than a single identification.”, and (2) by adding at the end the following: “(f) (1) Within 2 years after the date of the enactment of the Anti Car Theft Act of 1992, the Secretary shall promulgate a vehicle theft standard which conforms to the requirements of this title and which applies with respect to the covered major parts which are installed by all foreign and domestic manufacturers into passenger motor vehicles (other than light-duty trucks) in not to exceed one-half of the lines not designated under section 603 as high theft lines. Such rule shall be effective for model years applicable to such passenger motor vehicles as provided in subsection (c)(4) of this section. “(2) Within 3 years after the rule under paragraph (1) is promulgated, the Secretary, based on the Attorney General’s finding under paragraph (3), shall designate all the remaining such lines of such passenger motor vehicles (other than light-duty trucks) and apply such standard to such lines in conformance with the requirements of this title. Such rule shall also apply to the major replacement parts for the major parts described in this paragraph. Such rule shall be effective, for model years applicable to such passenger motor vehicles as provided in subsection (c)(4) of this section. “(3) The Attorney General shall make a finding prior to the Secretary’s initiation and promulgation of a rule under paragraph (2) that the rule shall be promulgated unless the Attorney General finds, based upon the information collected and analyzed under 106 STAT. 3395section 615 and such other information as the Attorney General may develop (after notice and after a public hearing), that requiring such additional parts marking for all of the applicable passenger motor vehicles would not substantially inhibit chop shop operations and vehicle thefts. The Attorney General shall also take into account as part of the record additional costs, effectiveness, competition, and available alternatives factors. The Attorney General shall transmit the finding and the record upon which the finding is based to the Secretary. Such finding and record shall be a part of the Secretary’s rulemaking record. “(4) The Attorney General of the United States shall by December 31, 1999, determine, after notice and a public hearing, whether one or both rules promulgated under this subsection nave been an effective means to substantially inhibit the operation of chop shops and vehicle theft, taking into account the additional cost, competition, and available alternatives. The Attorney General shall base his determination on information collected and analyzed under section 615, the 3-year and 5-year reports issued by the Secretary under this title, and such other information as he may develop and include in the public record. He shall take into consideration the effectiveness, extent of use, and the extent to which civil and criminal penalties under section 610(b) of this title and 18 U.S.C. 2322 regarding chop shops have been effective in substantially inhibiting chop shop operations and vehicle theft. The Attorney General shall promptly transmit his Ending to the Secretary. If the determination is that one or both rules have not been an effective means to substantially inhibit chop shop operation and vehicle theft, the Secretary shall within 180 days after receipt of such finding terminate by order 1 or both of the rules promulgated under this subsection effective the next model year following the issuance of such order. “(5) The Attorney General shall make a separate determination by December 31, 1999, after notice and a public hearing, as to whether the antitheft devices for which an exemption under section 605 is authorized are an effective substitute for parts marking in substantially inhibiting vehicle theft, taking into account the additional cost, competition, and available alternatives. If the Attorney General determines that such antitheft devices art an effective substitute for parts marking in substantially inhibiting vehicle theft, the Secretary shall continue to grant exemptions under section 605 at the level authorized prior to the date of the enactment of the Anti Car Theft Act of 1992 or at the level authorized for model year 2000, as determined by the Attorney General. Nothing in this paragraph affects exemptions granted in model year 2000 or earlier to any manufacturer. “(6) The Secretary and the Attorney General shall keep the appropriate legislative committees of Congress with jurisdiction over this Act and 18 U.S.C. 2322 informed about the actions taken or planned under this subsection. “(g) The Secretary is authorized to periodically redetermine and establish by rule the median theft rate under subsection (a)(1), but not more than every 2 years.”