Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
This bill would amend 49 U.S.C. 30103(e) to make compliance with applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) a legal shield: manufacturers and others would be exempt from common-law liability for failing to exceed those federal standards. In short, plaintiffs could not sue at common law on the theory that a vehicle should have been built to a level above the applicable FMVSS.
Uniformity and litigation relief versus preservation of consumer remedies
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill specifies a clear policy goal and identifies the statutory provision to be altered, but it provides only fragmentary operative language and lacks fiscal, transitional, and oversight detail proportional to a substantive change in liability law.
This bill would amend 49 U.S.C. 30103(e) to make compliance with applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) a legal shield: manufacturers and others would be exempt from common-law liability for failing to exceed those federal standards.
In short, plaintiffs could not sue at common law on the theory that a vehicle should have been built to a level above the applicable FMVSS.
Technically simple and industry-friendly but ideologically charged due to preemption of state remedies and lacks compromise features.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill specifies a clear policy goal and identifies the statutory provision to be altered, but it provides only fragmentary operative language and lacks fiscal, transitional, and oversight detail proportional to a substantive change in liability law.
Uniformity and litigation relief versus preservation of consumer remedies
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Uniformity and litigation relief versus preservation of consumer remedies
Likely strongly opposed.
They would view the bill as removing state-level remedies and weakening private enforcement that pressures manufacturers to exceed minimal federal standards.
They would emphasize protecting consumers and preserving incentives for safer design beyond federal minima.
Mixed/conditional view.
Appreciates predictability and interstate uniformity but worries about losing accountability.
Would lean toward support only with stronger regulatory enforcement, clearer statutory language, or preserved remedies for serious misconduct.
Likely supportive.
Emphasizes federal uniformity, limits on costly tort exposure, and protection of interstate commerce.
Sees preemption of state common-law claims for not exceeding FMVSS as sensible regulatory simplification.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Technically simple and industry-friendly but ideologically charged due to preemption of state remedies and lacks compromise features.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Uniformity and litigation relief versus preservation of consumer remedies
Technically simple and industry-friendly but ideologically charged due to preemption of state remedies and lacks compromise features.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill specifies a clear policy goal and identifies the statutory provision to be altered, but it provides only fragmentary operative language and lacks fiscal, transitional…
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