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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7372 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7372
To ensure that lifesaving motor vehicle safety features are offered
independently of convenience and luxury features, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 4, 2026
Mr. Pallone introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure that lifesaving motor vehicle safety features are offered
independently of convenience and luxury features, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Safety is Not For Sale Act''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN SALES PRACTICES WITH RESPECT TO OPTIONAL
SAFETY FEATURES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.
(a) Prohibition.--
(1) In general.--A person may not offer for sale or lease
to a first purchaser an optional safety feature unless such
person--
(A) offers such optional safety feature for sale or
lease--
(i) separately from any non-safety feature;
or
(ii) as standard trim equipment; and
(B) clearly and conspicuously discloses to the
first purchaser the cost of the optional safety feature
separately from any non-safety feature.
(2) Effective date.--Paragraph (1) shall take effect on the
date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(b) Enforcement by Commission.--
(1) Unfair or deceptive acts or practices.--A violation of
subsection (a) shall be treated as a violation of a regulation
under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act
(15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or deceptive acts or
practices.
(2) Powers of commission.--The Commission shall enforce
subsection (a) in the same manner, by the same means, and with
the same jurisdiction as though all applicable terms and
provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act were
incorporated into and made a part of this Act.
(3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be
construed to limit the authority of the Commission under any
other law.
(c) Actions by States.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (6), in
any case in which the attorney general of a State has reason to
believe that an interest of the residents of that State has
been or is threatened or adversely affected by an act or
practice in violation of subsection (a), or a regulation
promulgated under such subsection, the State, as parens
patriae, may bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of
the State in an appropriate district court of the United States
or other court of competent jurisdiction to--
(A) enjoin that practice;
(B) enforce compliance with such subsection, or
such regulation;
(C) obtain civil penalties;
(D) obtain damages, restitution, or other
compensation on behalf of residents of the State; and
(E) obtain such other legal and equitable relief as
the court may consider to be appropriate.
(2) Rights of commission.--
(A) Notice.--
(i) In general.--Except as provided in
clause (iii), the attorney general of a State
shall notify the Commission in writing that the
attorney general intends to bring a civil
action under paragraph (1) by not later than 60
days before initiating the civil action.
(ii) Contents.--The notification required
by clause (i) with respect to a civil action
shall include a copy of the complaint to be
filed to initiate the civil action.
(iii) Exception.--If it is not feasible for
the attorney general of a State to provide the
notification required by clause (i) before
initiating a civil action under paragraph (1),
the attorney general shall notify the
Commission immediately upon instituting the
civil action.
(B) Intervention.--Upon receiving the notice
required by subparagraph (A), the Commission shall have
the right--
(i) to intervene in the action; and
(ii) upon so intervening--
(I) to be heard on all matters
arising therein; and
(II) to file petitions for appeal.
(3) Investigatory powers; savings provision.--Nothing in
this subsection may be construed to--
(A) prevent the attorney general of a State from
exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general
by the laws of the State to conduct investigations, to
administer oaths or affirmations, or to compel the
attendance of witnesses or the production of
documentary or other evidence; or
(B) prohibit the attorney general of a State, or
other authorized State officer, from proceeding in
State or Federal court on the basis of an alleged
violation of any civil or criminal statute of that
State.
(4) Limitation on state action while federal action is
pending.--If the Commission or the Attorney General of the
United States has instituted a civil action for violation of
this Act (referred to in this subparagraph as the ``Federal
action''), no State attorney general, official, or agency may
bring an action under this subsection during the pendency of
the Federal action against any defendant named in the complaint
in the Federal action for any violation of such subsection
alleged in such complaint.
(5) Award of costs and fees.--If a State prevails in any
civil action under paragraph (1), the State may recover
reasonable costs and attorney fees.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Trade Commission.
(2) First purchaser; manufacturer; motor vehicle; motor
vehicle equipment.--The terms ``first purchaser'',
``manufacturer'', ``motor vehicle'', and ``motor vehicle
equipment'' have the meanings given those terms in section
30102 of title 49, United States Code.
(3) Motor vehicle model.--The term ``motor vehicle model''
means a class of motor vehicles--
(A) of the same type and make; and
(B) that share a high degree of commonality in
design and construction.
(4) Motor vehicle trim.--The term ``motor vehicle trim''
means a class of motor vehicles--
(A) of the same type, make, and motor vehicle
model, but not identical to the motor vehicle model;
and
(B) that share a high degree of commonality in
design and construction.
(5) Non-safety feature.--The term ``non-safety feature''
means optional motor vehicle equipment that is not standard
model equipment or an optional safety feature.
(6) Optional safety feature.--The term ``optional safety
feature'' means motor vehicle equipment that--
(A) is not standard model equipment; and
(B) either--
(i) performs the lateral or longitudinal
(but not both simultaneously) vehicle motion
control subtasks of the dynamic driving task
with the expectation that the driver monitors
the system to execute a response to an object
or event when necessary;
(ii) alerts the driver--
(I) if there is an unreasonable
risk of a collision;
(II) to maintain the lane of
travel; or
(III) if the driver is operating
the motor vehicle in a way that
indicates the driver may be distracted,
disengaged, fatigued, intoxicated, or
otherwise impaired;
(iii) improves illumination of the roadway;
(iv) enhances the view of the driver of the
roadway;
(v) alerts emergency services after a crash
of the motor vehicle is detected; or
(vi) performs such other safety functions
as the Commission, in consultation with the
Secretary of Transportation, determines
appropriate.
(7) Standard model equipment.--The term ``standard model
equipment'' means motor vehicle equipment installed in each
motor vehicle within a motor vehicle model, regardless of the
motor vehicle trim.
(8) Standard trim equipment.--The term ``standard trim
equipment'' means motor vehicle equipment installed in each
motor vehicle of a motor vehicle trim.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
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