H.R. 7261 – Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 6, 2026 at 6:21 AM UTC

The Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act updates the federal rules for checking safety and criminal records when hiring for motor carrier companies. It expands screening to include not just drivers but also other employees and operators, makes the use of screening data voluntary rather than mandatory, and adds protections so that workers can challenge and appeal any adverse employment decisions based on that data. The law also requires contested safety violations to be clearly marked in federal databases and sets up a formal appeals process for those disputes.

Key Provisions

Adds “or employment” language to the pre‑employment safety performance screening rules, extending the screening requirements to both drivers and other motor carrier employees.
Expands the definition of “operator‑applicant” throughout the screening provisions, ensuring operators are covered by the same rules as drivers.
Changes the screening process to be voluntary and clarifies that it is not a required pre‑employment condition, while still allowing use of safety‑related data for hiring decisions.
Introduces limits on adverse actions: employers may not take negative employment actions based on screening data unless they give the operator proper notice and a reasonable opportunity to appeal the data.
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to label any safety violation that is being contested in the Motor Carrier Management Information System and related databases, so it is clearly identified as under review.
Mandates the creation of an appeals process for contested safety data, with guidelines for states receiving safety assistance funds to provide a timely, independent review of appealed violations.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

January 28, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 27, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

January 27, 2026

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

January 28, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 27, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7261

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 27, 2026

Mr. Mann (for himself, Ms. Davids of Kansas, and Mr. Schmidt) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, with respect to employment screening for the motor carrier industry, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act.

2.

Safety performance history screening

Section 31150 of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting or employment after preemployment;

(2)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

by inserting operator or before operator-applicant each place it appears; and

(B)

in paragraph (2), by inserting operator’s or before operator-applicant’s written consent; and

(3)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

in the second sentence—

(i)

by striking preemployment;

(ii)

by inserting operator or before operator-applicant; and

(iii)

by striking Use and inserting the following:

(2)

Voluntary use; limitation

Use

;

(B)

in the first sentence—

(i)

by inserting driver-related after serious;

(ii)

by striking as a preemployment condition;

(iii)

by inserting or operator applicant’s after individual operator’s; and

(iv)

by striking The process and inserting the following:

(1)

In general

The process

; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

Adverse actions

A person may not take an adverse action (as defined in section 603(k) of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a(k))) with respect to an operator or operator-applicant based in whole or in part on the data in the reports provided under subsection (a) from the Motor Carrier Management Information System unless the person provides—

(A)

notice to the operator or operator-applicant consistent with section 604(b)(3) of that Act (15 U.S.C. 1681b(b)(3)); and

(B)

a reasonable period of time for—

(i)

the operator to initiate an appeal under subsection (e); and

(ii)

any appeal process initiated under that subsection to conclude pursuant to the issuance of a final disposition.

.

3.

DataQs improvement

Section 31150 of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (d), by inserting safety after serious driver-related;

(2)

by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (f); and

(3)

by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

(d)

Data subject To review

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act, the Secretary shall ensure that during any period in which a safety violation is being contested, the report on that violation is labeled in a manner that indicates such violation is being contested in the Motor Carrier Management Information System and in any other relevant databases, including the Employment Screening Program, the Safety Measurement System, and Analysis and Information Online, until the review of the contested violation is complete.

(e)

DataQs appeals process

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act, the Secretary shall promulgate DataQs program participation guidelines that direct States receiving funds under the motor carrier safety assistance program under section 31102 to provide for an appeals process by which—

(1)

following the conclusion of a request for data review, an affected party may appeal the disposition of the review; and

(2)

an appeal of the disposition is decided in a reasonable period of time by a person or persons other than the person that issued the violation.

.