PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

S. 1666: HOT CARS Act of 2017

Before you vote › Federal bills

S. 1666: HOT CARS Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-07-27 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-07-27 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

HOT CARS Act of 2017

Plain summary

Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in Rear Seats Act of 2017 or the HOT CARS Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a final rule requiring all new passenger motor vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight to be equipped with a system to alert the operator to check rear designated seating positions after the vehicle engine is turned off. The alert shall: (1) include a distinct auditory and visual alert, which may be combined with a haptic alert (i.e., vibrations); and (2) be activated when the vehicle engine is turned off. DOT must enter into an agreement with an independent third-party for a study on retrofitting existing passenger motor vehicles with technology to address the problem of children left in rear seats after the vehicle engine is turned off.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

HOT CARS Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Roger F. Wicker (R-MS)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] reported raising $771,465 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
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

Record fed-us-cong115-s1666 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115