23 U.S.C. § 412 : US Code - Section 412: Agency accountability

Search 23 U.S.C. § 412 : US Code - Section 412: Agency accountability

(a) Triennial State Management Reviews. - At least once every 3
years the Secretary shall conduct a review of each State highway
safety program. The review shall include a management evaluation of
all grant programs funded under this chapter. The Secretary shall
provide review-based recommendations on how each State could
improve the management and oversight of its grant activities and
may provide a management and oversight plan for such grant
programs.
(b) Recommendations Before Submission. - In order to provide
guidance to State highway safety agencies on matters that should be
addressed in the goals and initiatives of the State highway safety
program before the program is submitted for review, the Secretary
shall provide data-based recommendations to each State at least 90
days before the date on which the program is to be submitted for
approval.
(c) State Program Review. - The Secretary shall -
(1) conduct a program improvement review of a highway safety
program under this chapter of a State that does not make
substantial progress over a 3-year period in meeting its priority
program goals; and
(2) provide technical assistance and safety program
requirements to be incorporated in the State highway safety
program for any goal not achieved.
(d) Regional Harmonization. - The Secretary and the Inspector
General of the Department of Transportation shall undertake an
administrative review of the practices and procedures of the
management reviews and program reviews of State highway safety
programs under this chapter conducted by the regional offices of
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and prepare a
written report of best practices and procedures for use by the
regional offices in conducting such reviews. The report shall be
completed within 180 days after the date of enactment of this
section.
(e) Best Practices Guidelines. -
(1) Uniform guidelines. - The Secretary shall issue uniform
management review guidelines and program review guidelines based
on the report under subsection (d). Each regional office shall
use the guidelines in executing its State administrative review
duties under this section.
(2) Publication. - The Secretary shall make publicly available
on the Web site (or successor electronic facility) of the
Administration the following documents upon their completion:
(A) The Secretary's management review guidelines and program
review guidelines.
(B) All State highway safety programs submitted under this
chapter.
(C) State annual accomplishment reports.
(D) The Administration's Summary Report of findings from
Management Reviews and Improvement Plans.
(3) Reports to state highway safety agencies. - The Secretary
may not make publicly available a program, report, or review
under paragraph (2) that is directed to a State highway safety
agency until after the date on which the program, report, or
review is submitted to that agency under this chapter.
(f) GAO Review. -
(1) Analysis. - The Comptroller General shall analyze the
effectiveness of the Administration's oversight of traffic safety
grants under this chapter by determining the usefulness of the
Administration's advice to the States regarding administration
and State activities under this chapter, the extent to which the
States incorporate the Administration's recommendations into
their highway safety programs, and the improvements that result
in a State's highway safety program that may be attributable to
the Administration's recommendations.
(2) Report. - Not later than September 30, 2008, the
Comptroller General shall submit a report on the results of the
analysis to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate.