,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aie  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,february #c1       
#bjba,ms4 ,klobuchar 7for herself and   
,mr4 ,blumenthal7 introduced the        
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend title #bc1       
,united ,states ,code1 to require the   
,secretary of ,transportation to provide
 ,states applying for distracted driving
 grants an explanation of the           
eligibility decision with respect to the
 ,state1 and for other purposes4  #a4   
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,states ,afforded ,funding          
,extensions ,to ,oppose ,driving        
,recklessly ,in ,vehicular ,engagements 
,act or the ,,safe ,,to ,,drive ,act4   
#b4 ,national priority safety programs  
,section #dje7;e7 of title #bc1 ,united 
,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by     
striking paragraph 7#f7 and inserting   
the following3  7#f7 ,additional        

distracted driving grants  7,a7 ,in     
general ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#a71
 the ,secretary shall use up to #be     
percent of the amounts available for    
grants under this subsection to award   
grants to any ,state that-- 7i7 is      
otherwise ineligible for a grant under  
this subsection2 and  7ii7 certifies    
that the ,state has enacted a statute   
that-- 7,i7 is applicable to drivers of 
all ages2  7,,ii7 makes a violation of  
the statute a primary offense2 and      
7,,iii7 prohibits-- 7aa7 texting2 or    
7bb7 non-navigational viewing of a      
personal wireless communications device4
  7,b7 ,use of grant funds              
,notwithstanding paragraph 7#e71 amounts
 received by a ,state under subparagraph
 7,a7 may be used for activities related
 to the enforcement of distracted       
driving laws1 including for public      
information and awareness purposes4  2  
7#b7 by redesignating paragraph 7#i7 as 
paragraph 7#aj72 and  7#c7 by inserting 
after paragraph 7#h7 the following3     

7#i7 ,determinations of grant           
eligibility  7,a7 ,explanation of       
determination ,in making an eligibility 
determination in granting or denying an 
application of a ,state for a grant     
under this subsection1 the ,secretary   
shall provide each applicant ,state with
 an explanation of that determination1  
including an explanation of whether each
 section of the statute submitted with  
the application met or did not meet the 
requirements for a grant under this     
subsection4  7,b7 ,availability of      
determination ,not later than #fj days  
after granting or denying an application
 for a grant under this subsection1 the 
,secretary shall make the explanation   
under subparagraph 7,a7 publicly        
available on the website of the         
,department of ,transportation4  4