H.R. 7372

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7372 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7372

To ensure that lifesaving motor vehicle safety features are offered 
independently of convenience and luxury features, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 4, 2026

Mr. Pallone introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To ensure that lifesaving motor vehicle safety features are offered 
independently of convenience and luxury features, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Safety is Not For Sale Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN SALES PRACTICES WITH RESPECT TO OPTIONAL 
SAFETY FEATURES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

(a) Prohibition.--
(1) In general.--A person may not offer for sale or lease 
to a first purchaser an optional safety feature unless such 
person--
(A) offers such optional safety feature for sale or 
lease--
(i) separately from any non-safety feature; 
or
(ii) as standard trim equipment; and
(B) clearly and conspicuously discloses to the 
first purchaser the cost of the optional safety feature 
separately from any non-safety feature.
(2) Effective date.--Paragraph (1) shall take effect on the 
date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
(b) Enforcement by Commission.--
(1) Unfair or deceptive acts or practices.--A violation of 
subsection (a) shall be treated as a violation of a regulation 
under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act 
(15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or deceptive acts or 
practices.
(2) Powers of commission.--The Commission shall enforce 
subsection (a) in the same manner, by the same means, and with 
the same jurisdiction as though all applicable terms and 
provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act were 
incorporated into and made a part of this Act.
(3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed to limit the authority of the Commission under any 
other law.
(c) Actions by States.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (6), in 
any case in which the attorney general of a State has reason to 
believe that an interest of the residents of that State has 
been or is threatened or adversely affected by an act or 
practice in violation of subsection (a), or a regulation 
promulgated under such subsection, the State, as parens 
patriae, may bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of 
the State in an appropriate district court of the United States 
or other court of competent jurisdiction to--
(A) enjoin that practice;
(B) enforce compliance with such subsection, or 
such regulation;
(C) obtain civil penalties;
(D) obtain damages, restitution, or other 
compensation on behalf of residents of the State; and
(E) obtain such other legal and equitable relief as 
the court may consider to be appropriate.
(2) Rights of commission.--
(A) Notice.--
(i) In general.--Except as provided in 
clause (iii), the attorney general of a State 
shall notify the Commission in writing that the 
attorney general intends to bring a civil 
action under paragraph (1) by not later than 60 
days before initiating the civil action.
(ii) Contents.--The notification required 
by clause (i) with respect to a civil action 
shall include a copy of the complaint to be 
filed to initiate the civil action.
(iii) Exception.--If it is not feasible for 
the attorney general of a State to provide the 
notification required by clause (i) before 
initiating a civil action under paragraph (1), 
the attorney general shall notify the 
Commission immediately upon instituting the 
civil action.
(B) Intervention.--Upon receiving the notice 
required by subparagraph (A), the Commission shall have 
the right--
(i) to intervene in the action; and
(ii) upon so intervening--
(I) to be heard on all matters 
arising therein; and
(II) to file petitions for appeal.
(3) Investigatory powers; savings provision.--Nothing in 
this subsection may be construed to--
(A) prevent the attorney general of a State from 
exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general 
by the laws of the State to conduct investigations, to 
administer oaths or affirmations, or to compel the 
attendance of witnesses or the production of 
documentary or other evidence; or
(B) prohibit the attorney general of a State, or 
other authorized State officer, from proceeding in 
State or Federal court on the basis of an alleged 
violation of any civil or criminal statute of that 
State.
(4) Limitation on state action while federal action is 
pending.--If the Commission or the Attorney General of the 
United States has instituted a civil action for violation of 
this Act (referred to in this subparagraph as the ``Federal 
action''), no State attorney general, official, or agency may 
bring an action under this subsection during the pendency of 
the Federal action against any defendant named in the complaint 
in the Federal action for any violation of such subsection 
alleged in such complaint.
(5) Award of costs and fees.--If a State prevails in any 
civil action under paragraph (1), the State may recover 
reasonable costs and attorney fees.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
Trade Commission.
(2) First purchaser; manufacturer; motor vehicle; motor 
vehicle equipment.--The terms ``first purchaser'', 
``manufacturer'', ``motor vehicle'', and ``motor vehicle 
equipment'' have the meanings given those terms in section 
30102 of title 49, United States Code.
(3) Motor vehicle model.--The term ``motor vehicle model'' 
means a class of motor vehicles--
(A) of the same type and make; and
(B) that share a high degree of commonality in 
design and construction.
(4) Motor vehicle trim.--The term ``motor vehicle trim'' 
means a class of motor vehicles--
(A) of the same type, make, and motor vehicle 
model, but not identical to the motor vehicle model; 
and
(B) that share a high degree of commonality in 
design and construction.
(5) Non-safety feature.--The term ``non-safety feature'' 
means optional motor vehicle equipment that is not standard 
model equipment or an optional safety feature.
(6) Optional safety feature.--The term ``optional safety 
feature'' means motor vehicle equipment that--
(A) is not standard model equipment; and
(B) either--
(i) performs the lateral or longitudinal 
(but not both simultaneously) vehicle motion 
control subtasks of the dynamic driving task 
with the expectation that the driver monitors 
the system to execute a response to an object 
or event when necessary;
(ii) alerts the driver--
(I) if there is an unreasonable 
risk of a collision;
(II) to maintain the lane of 
travel; or
(III) if the driver is operating 
the motor vehicle in a way that 
indicates the driver may be distracted, 
disengaged, fatigued, intoxicated, or 
otherwise impaired;
(iii) improves illumination of the roadway;
(iv) enhances the view of the driver of the 
roadway;
(v) alerts emergency services after a crash 
of the motor vehicle is detected; or
(vi) performs such other safety functions 
as the Commission, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Transportation, determines 
appropriate.
(7) Standard model equipment.--The term ``standard model 
equipment'' means motor vehicle equipment installed in each 
motor vehicle within a motor vehicle model, regardless of the 
motor vehicle trim.
(8) Standard trim equipment.--The term ``standard trim 
equipment'' means motor vehicle equipment installed in each 
motor vehicle of a motor vehicle trim.
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