To limit liability with respect to the owners of rented or leased motor vehicles.

In lieu of the language proposed to be inserted, insert the following:

SEC. 1409. RENTED OR LEASED MOTOR VEHICLES.

(a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

“Sec. 30106. Rented or leased motor vehicle safety and

responsibility

“(a) In General.--Provided that there is no negligence or criminal wrongdoing on the part of the owner of a motor vehicle, no such owner engaged in the trade or business of renting or leasing motor vehicles may be held liable under State law for harm caused by a person to himself or herself, another person, or to property, which results or arises from that person's use, operation, or possession of a rented or leased motor vehicle, by reason of being the owner of such motor vehicle.

“(b) Construction.--Subsection (a) shall not apply if such owner does not maintain the required limits of financial responsibility for such vehicle, as required by State law in the State in which the vehicle is registered.

“(c) Applicability and Effective Date.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this section shall apply with respect to any action commenced on or after the date of enactment of this section without regard to whether the harm that is the subject of the action or the conduct that caused the harm occurred before such date of enactment.

“(d) Definitions.--In this section:

“(1) Motor vehicle.--The term ‘motor vehicle' shall have the meaning given the term under section 13102(14) of this title.

“(2) Owner.--The term ‘owner' means a person who is--

“(A) a record or beneficial owner, lessor, or lessee of a motor vehicle;

“(B) entitled to the use and possession of a motor vehicle subject to a security interest in another person; or

“(C) a lessor, lessee, or bailee of a motor vehicle, in the trade or business of renting or leasing motor vehicles, having the use or possession of such motor vehicle, under a lease, bailment, or otherwise.

“(3) Person.--The term ‘person' means any individual, corporation, company, limited liability company, trust, association, firm, partnership, society, joint stock company, or any other entity.

“(4) State.--The term ‘State' means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, any other territory or possession of the United States, or any political subdivision of any such State, commonwealth, territory, or possession.”.

(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 30105 the following:

“30106. Rented or leased motor vehicle safety and responsibility.”.