NATIONAL DRIVER REGISTER.

SEC. 2006. NATIONAL DRIVER REGISTER. (a) Transfer of Selected Functions to Non-Federal Management.— Section 30302 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: “(e) Transfer of Selected Functions to Non-Federal Management.— “(1) Agreement.— The Secretary may enter into an agreement with an organization that represents the interests of the States to manage, administer, and operate the National Driver Register’s computer timeshare and user assistance functions. If the Secretary decides to enter into such an agreement, the Secretary shall ensure that the management of these functions is compatible with this chapter and the regulations issued to implement this chapter. “(2) Required demonstration.— Any transfer of the National Driver Register’s computer timeshare and user assistance functions to an organization that represents the interests of the States shall begin only after a determination is made by the Secretary that all States are participating in the National Driver Register’s ‘Problem Driver Pointer System’ (the system used by the Register to effect the exchange of motor vehicle driving records) and that the system is functioning properly. “(3) Transition period.— Any agreement entered into under this subsection shall include a provision for a transition period sufficient to allow the States to make the budgetary and legislative changes the States may need to pay fees charged by the organization representing their interests for their use of the National Driver Register’s computer timeshare and user assistance functions. During this transition period, the Secretary shall continue to fund these transferred functions. “(4) Fees.— The total of the fees charged by the organization representing the interests of the States in any fiscal year for the use of the National Driver Register’s computer timeshare and user assistance functions shall not exceed the total cost to the organization of performing these functions in such fiscal year. “(5) Limitation on statutory construction.— Nothing in this subsection may be construed to diminish, limit, or otherwise affect the authority of the Secretary to carry out this chapter.”. (b) Access to Register Information.— (1) Conforming amendments.— Section 30305(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended— (A) in paragraph (2) by inserting before the period at the end the following: “, unless the information is about a revocation or suspension still in effect on the date of the request”; (B) in paragraph (8), as redesignated by section 207(b) of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–324, 110 Stat. 3908)— (i) by striking “paragraph (2)” and inserting “subsection (a) of this section”; and (ii) by moving the text of such paragraph 2 ems to the left; and (C) by redesignating paragraph (8), as redesignated by section 502(b)( 1) of the Federal Aviation Reauthorization 112 STAT. 336Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–264, 110 Stat. 3262), as paragraph (9). (2) Federal agency access provision.— Section 30305(b)of title 49, United States Code, is further amended— (A) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (10)and inserting such paragraph after paragraph (9); (B) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following: “(6) The head of a Federal department or agency that issues motor vehicle operator’s licenses may request the chief driver licensing official of a State to obtain information under subsection (a)of this section about an individual applicant for a motor vehicle operator’s license from such department or agency. The department or agency may receive the information, provided it transmits to the Secretary a report regarding any individual who is denied a motor vehicle operator’s license by that department or agency for cause; whose motor vehicle operator’s license is revoked, suspended, or canceled by that department or agency for cause; or about whom the department or agency has been notified of a conviction of any of the motor vehicle-related offenses or comparable offenses listed in section 30304(a)(3) and over whom the department or agency has licensing authority. The report shall contain the information specified in section 30304(b).”; and (C) by adding at the end the following: “(11) The head of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive information regarding an individual from the Register under this section may request and receive such information from the Secretary.”. (c) Evaluation and Assessment of Alternatives.— (1) Evaluation.— The Secretary shall evaluate the implementation of chapter 303 of title 49, United States Code, and the programs under sections 31106 and 31309 of such title and identify alternatives to improve the ability of the States to exchange information about unsafe drivers and to identify drivers with multiple licenses. (2) Technology assessment.— The Secretary, in conjunction with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, shall conduct an assessment of available electronic technologies to improve access to and exchange of motor vehicle driving records. The assessment may consider alternative unique motor vehicle driver identifiers that would facilitate accurate matching of drivers and their records. (3) Report to congress.— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the evaluation and technology assessment, together with any recommendations for appropriate administrative and legislative actions. (4) Authorization of Appropriations.— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out paragraph (2) $250,000 in the aggregate for fiscal years beginning after September30, 1998.