A bill to amend the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 to require States to use at least eight percent of their highway safety apportionments for developing and implementing comprehensive programs concerning the use of child restraint systems in motor vehicles, and for other purposes.
Public Law 98-363 · H.R. 4616 · 98th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jul 17, 1984 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Glenn Anderson (D-CA-32)
Cosponsors (12): Rep. James Howard, Rep. Michael Barnes,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- 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.
Amends the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 to increase the authorized appropriations for highway safety programs for FY 1985 and 1986. Requires each State to expend at least eight percent of such funds for developing and implementing comprehensive programs concerning the use of child restraint systems in motor vehicles. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to reduce the required expenditure for any State which demonstrates that the percentage of children under four years of age in such State who are properly utilizing such restraint systems is greater than 75 percent.
Changes the basis of the formula for assisting highway safety programs in the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the American Samoa from monies in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated to a percentage of State apportionments.
Includes under the alcohol traffic safety program traffic safety problems resulting from persons driving under the influence of drugs. Directs the Secretary to establish criteria for rehabilitation and treatment programs for persons arrested and convicted of driving while under the influence of drugs.
Directs the Secretary to make grants to States which implement accident-reduction projects using computerized safety recordkeeping systems.
Requires the Secretary to withhold five percent in FY 1987 and ten percent in FY 1988 of certain Federal-aid highway funds for States in which the minimum drinking age is under 21.
Makes States eligible for special grants for enacting statutes providing penalties for drunk driving as set forth in this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee · House · markup by, 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. 16 actions.
- Jul 17, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-363.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 6, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jun 27, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Committee on Rules Granted a Rule Providing for Agreement to the Senate Amendments.
- Jun 26, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Apr 30, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- Mar 28, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Mar 20, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Mar 15, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Feb 23, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Feb 6, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Jan 24, 1984CommitteeCommittee · 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.