Next Gen Road Safety Act

119th Congress Introduced by Shomari Figures and 2 co-sponsors

Expands COPS grants to cover equipment and tech, including vehicle-disabling systems, police bumper systems, and drones, to prevent or de-escalate high-speed pursuits.

Introduced in House

Overview

Bill: H.R. 8217, the Next Gen Road Safety Act

Session: 119th Congress

Introduced: April 9, 2026

Primary sponsors: Ms. Friedman (introduced for herself and Ms. Lee of Florida); co-sponsors: Ms. Laurel Lee, Mr. Shomari Figures

Jurisdiction: United States

Purpose: Amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the use of COPS grants for equipment that helps prevent and de-escalate high-speed vehicular pursuits.

What the bill does

Expands authorized uses of federal COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) grants.

Specifically adds authorization for law enforcement agencies to procure:

Equipment, technology, or support systems that aid in preventing and de-escalating high-speed vehicular pursuits.
Examples listed in the bill include:
Vehicle-disabling systems
Police bumper systems
Drones

The amendment is added to Section 1701(b) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, redefining paragraph (25) as an additional eligible use and adjusting formatting to connect with existing items.

Key provisions and changes

Adds new eligible use: procurement of equipment and technologies to reduce the frequency and severity of high-speed pursuits.

Explicitly enumerates categories such as:

Vehicle-disabling systems
Police bumper systems
Drones

Recasts the legal list so that the new item flows with existing grant-eligible expenditures (ensuring alignment with prior grant parameters and administration).

Who and what is affected

Primary impact: state and local law enforcement agencies that receive COPS funding.

Potential beneficiaries:

Agencies seeking to acquire equipment to prevent or de-escalate high-speed pursuits.
Public safety programs focusing on pursuit-related risks to officers and civilians.

No new funding amount is specified in the bill text; it reallocates or expands permissible uses of the existing COPS grant authority rather than creating a separate line-item appropriation.

Procedures and timeline

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on April 9, 2026.

The bill would require passage by both chambers of Congress and presidential signature to become law.

The amendment becomes effective upon enactment, directing future and ongoing COPS grant allocations to include these new eligible uses.

Potential implications

Safety impact: aims to reduce high-speed pursuit incidents, potentially decreasing risks to officers and civilians through de-escalation technologies and alternative enforcement tools.

Operational considerations: agencies would evaluate trade-offs and policies around the use of vehicle-disabling systems, bumper systems, and drones, including training, oversight, privacy, and civil liberties considerations.

Administrative: aligns new equipment authorization with existing COPS grant framework, potentially streamlining procurement processes under current grant administration.