Title 23

SECTION 1225.7

1225.7 Certification requirements for sanction program.

§ 1225.7 Certification requirements for sanction program.

(a) Beginning with FY 2004, to avoid the withholding of funds, each State shall certify to the Secretary of Transportation, before the last day of the previous fiscal year, that it meets all the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 163 and this part.

(b) The certification shall contain a statement from an appropriate State official that the State has enacted and is enforcing a 0.08 BAC per se law that conforms to 23 U.S.C. 163 and 23 CFR part 1225.

(1) If the State's 0.08 BAC per se law is currently in effect and is being enforced, the certification shall be worded as follows:

I, (name of certifying official), (position title), of the (State or Commonwealth) of ____, do hereby certify that the (State or Commonwealth) of ____, has enacted and is enforcing a 0.08 BAC per se law that conforms to the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 163 and 23 CFR 1225.4, (citations to State law).

(2) If the State's 0.08 BAC per se law is not currently in effect, but will become effective and be enforced before the end of the current fiscal year, the certification shall be worded as follows:

I, (name of certifying official), (position title), of the (State or Commonwealth) of ____, do hereby certify that the (State or Commonwealth) of ____, has enacted a 0.08 BAC per se law that conforms to the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 163 and 23 CFR 1225.4, (citations to State law), and will become effective and be enforced as of (effective date of the law).

(c) An original and four copies of the certification shall be submitted to the appropriate NHTSA Regional Administrator. Each NHTSA Regional Administrator will forward copies of the certifications received to the appropriate NHTSA and FHWA offices.

(d) Once a State has been determined to be in compliance with the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 163 and this part, it is not required to submit additional certifications, except that the State shall promptly submit an amendment or supplement to its certification provided under this section if the State's 0.08 BAC per se law changes.

(e) Certifications submitted in FY 2003. (1) Any State that submits a certification of compliance under § 1225.5 of this part, in conformance with the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 163, on or before July 15, 2003, will qualify for an incentive grant in FY 2003 and will avoid the withholding of funds in FY 2004. All certifications submitted in conformance with the incentive grant program will meet the certification requirements of the sanction program.

(2) Any State that submits a certification of compliance under this section, in conformance with the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 163, between July 16, 2003 and September 30, 2003, will not qualify for an incentive grant in FY 2003, but will meet the certification requirements of the sanction program, thereby avoiding the withholding of funds in FY 2004.

(f) Certifications submitted in FY 2004 or thereafter. Any State that has been in noncompliance with the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 163 and this part, in or after FY 2004, will initially be subject to a withholding of funds in accordance with § 1225.8 of this part. Following the submission of a conforming certification of compliance by such States, all withheld funds will be restored to a States' appropriate apportionment categories in accordance with § 1225.9 of this part.