S. 1952: Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-12-07 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 368.

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Where it came from: introduced 2011-12-07 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 368. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2011

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Act of 2011 [ sic ] - (Sec. 5) Requires states or Indian tribes receiving grants to train emergency responders to hazardous material (hazmat) transportation accidents to make certain certifications to the Secretary of Transportation (DOT). (Sec. 6) Authorizes the Secretary to conduct pilot projects (including at least one in a rural area) to evaluate the feasibility of using paperless hazard communications systems. (Sec. 7) Authorizes the Secretary to assess and review the methods used by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for collecting, analyzing, and reporting accidents and incidents involving hazmat transportation. Requires the Secretary to develop an action plan and timeline for improving the collection, analysis, reporting, and use of data by PHMSA. (Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations establishing uniform procedures among facilities for the safe loading and unloading of hazmat on and off tank cars and cargo tank trucks. (Sec. 9) Authorizes the Secretary to develop and implement a hazmat technical assessment, research and development, and analysis program to: (1) reduce risks associated with hazmat transportation; and (2) identify and evaluate new technologies for safe, secure, and efficient hazmat transportation. (Sec. 10) Directs the Secretary to establish a multimodal hazmat enforcement training program for government hazmat inspectors and investigators. (Sec. 11) Requires a designated officer, employee, or agent of the Secretary to provide reasonable notice to an affected offeror, carrier, packaging manufacturer or tester, or other person responsible for the package containing hazmat of: (1) the decision to exercise inspection and investigation authority, (2) any findings made, and (3) any actions being taken as a result of a finding of noncompliance. Requires regulations for inspections and investigations to address: (1) the safe and expeditious resumption of transportation of perishable hazardous material, including radiopharmaceuticals and other medical products, that may require timely delivery due to life-threatening situations; (2) the means by which noncompliant packages presenting an imminent hazard are placed out-of-service until the condition is corrected; (3) the means by which noncompliant packages that do not present a hazard are moved to their final destination; (4) appropriate training and equipment for inspectors; and (5) the proper closure of packaging. (Sec. 12) Increases the civil penalties for: (1) knowing violations of a hazmat transportation regulation, order, special permit, or approval; and (2) violations that result in death, serious illness, or injury or substantial destruction of property. Authorizes the Secretary to impose a civil penalty on persons who obstruct or prevent an inspection or investigation regarding hazmat transportation. Prohibits a person who has failed to pay an assessed civil penalty for noncompliance with a hazmat transportation regulation or order from conducting hazmat transportation. (Sec. 14) Revises requirements for the issuance of special permits, approvals, and exclusions. (Sec. 15) Requires states to submit certain information to the Secretary biennially regarding their currently effective hazmat highway route designations. (Sec. 16) Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary for FY2012 and FY2013. Authorizes the Secretary to make certain expenditures from the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Fund, in particular for hazmat training grants.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s1952.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s1952 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112