National Driver Register Act of 1982
Public Law 97-364 · H.R. 6170 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 25, 1982 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. James Howard (D-NJ-3)
Cosponsors (121): Rep. Michael Barnes, Rep. Donald Clausen,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Title I: - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to States which adopt and implement programs to reduce traffic safety problems resulting from persons driving while under the influence of alcohol. Limits the receipt of such grants to three fiscal years and sets forth the Federal share payable for each successive year. Requires the Secretary to establish criteria for the grants based on areas of consideration provided under this Act. Authorizes appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund for fiscal years 1983 through 1985.
Directs the Secretary to issue regulations to implement such traffic safety programs after a period for public comment. Sets the effective date of such regulations, unless they are disapproved by either House of Congress.
Title II: National Driver Register Act of 1982 - Eliminates the register in the Department of Commerce that lists the names of persons who have had their motor vehicle operator's licenses revoked.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish and maintain a National Driver Register to assist chief driver licensing officials of participating States in exchanging information regarding the motor vehicle driving records of individuals.
Prohibits the Secretary from maintaining information in such Register for more than a seven-year period from the date of its entry.
Allows any State to participate in such Register system. Directs the chief driver licensing official of a participating State to transmit specified information on certain drivers to the Secretary.
Allows access to such information to specified individuals, including the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. Limits the use of such information to official investigations and statistical research.
Sets forth criminal penalties for the unauthorized disclosure of information from the National Driver Register.
Establishes a National Driver Register Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of the Register system. Directs the Committee to report at least annually to the Secretary.
Directs the Secretary, within nine years of the date of enactment of this Act, to report to Congress on the level of State participation in and the effectiveness of the Register system.
Authorizes appropriations to carry out the provisions of this Act for fiscal years 1983 through 1992.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee · House · hearings by (full committee), referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Surface Transportation Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 10 actions.
- Oct 25, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-364.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 13, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 1, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Sep 29, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Sep 23, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- May 4, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Apr 29, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Apr 27, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.