Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act

119th Congress Introduced by Sharice Davids and 3 co-sponsors

The bill modernizes and speeds up motor carrier safety screenings by updating procedures, data sharing, and risk assessments to improve credentialing and safety oversight.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Summary of HR 7261 — Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act

Purpose and intent

The bill aims to modernize the screening process used to authorize and manage individuals who operate or work within motor carrier safety programs. It seeks to improve safety oversight by updating how applicants are screened, processed, and monitored to ensure more timely and effective credentialing and compliance with safety requirements.

Key provisions and changes

Modernization of screening procedures:

Updates to the criteria and methods used to screen applicants seeking eligibility for roles related to motor carrier safety (e.g., drivers, safety personnel, and other certified positions).
Potential incorporation of more current background checks, data interoperability, and risk-based assessment tools to identify safety concerns earlier in the process.

Streamlined eligibility determinations:

Provisions to accelerate or optimize decision timelines for screenings, reducing unnecessary delays while maintaining rigorous safety standards.
Clearer timelines and procedural steps for agencies responsible for conducting screenings.

Data and information sharing:

Encourages or requires improved sharing of relevant safety and credentialing data between federal agencies, state agencies, and relevant stakeholders to support better risk assessment.

Consistency with federal safety programs:

Aligns screening standards with existing motor carrier safety programs (e.g., Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration practices) to ensure coherence across oversight activities.

Administrative and oversight updates:

Possible updates to reporting, compliance monitoring, and periodic reviews of the screening process to ensure ongoing effectiveness and accountability.

Who would be affected

Individuals seeking roles or credentials related to motor carrier safety who undergo screening (drivers, safety inspectors, auditors, trainers, etc.).

Federal, state, and local agencies involved in motor carrier safety oversight, credentialing, and enforcement.

Employers and entities within the motor carrier sector that rely on screened individuals for compliance with safety requirements.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Initial action: Introduction in the House, with sponsor and co-sponsors named.

Referral history:

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (January 27, 2026).
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit (January 28, 2026).

Next steps (typical legislative process):

Subcommittee hearings and markups to further develop the bill’s provisions.
Full Committee consideration and potential passage.
Floor debate and vote in the House, followed by potential passage to the Senate and conference actions if companion legislation exists.

Additional notes

House sponsors include Derek Schmidt, Tracey Mann, Sharice Davids, and Dan Meuser, indicating bipartisan interest in motor carrier safety modernization.

As of the provided action history, the bill is in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet been enacted into law.

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