S 1984 Introduced - Smart Intersections Act
Last month Sen Romney (R,UT) introduced S 1984, the Smart Intersections Act of 2021. The bill would require DOT to establish the Smart Technology Traffic Signals Grant Program to improve the functioning of traffic signals. There are no cybersecurity provisions in the bill.
Definitions
Section 2(g) provides the definition of key terms used in this bill. Two of those definitions may be of interest:
‘Automated traffic enforcement system’ means any device that captures an image of, or information from, a vehicle for the purposes of traffic law enforcement, and
‘Eligible entity’ means a State, local, or Tribal government entity.
The Program
Section 2(a) of the bill would establish the Program to improve the functioning of traffic signals in a manner that:
Reduces traffic congestion,
Improves the safety and effectiveness of roadways,
Reduces fuel costs for drivers,
Reduces air pollution, and
Improves emergency response.
Grant funds could be used to:
Improve active management of traffic signals, including through the use of automated traffic signal performance measures,
Implement strategies, activities, and projects that support active management of traffic signal operations, and
Replace outdated traffic signals.
The bill specifically states that grant funds could not be used for automated traffic enforcement systems.
Section 2(g) authorizes DOT to expend “such sums as are necessary to carry out the program.” This means that the monies for the program would come out of the general funds authorized to DOT at the expense of existing programs.
Moving Forward
Romney is not a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Technology Committee to which the bill was assigned for consideration, but two of his cosponsors {Sen Schatz (D,HI), Sen Peters (D,MI)} are members, so there is a chance that the bill will be considered in Committee. I do not see anything in this bill that would engender any specific opposition. The bill should pass in Committee with some level of bipartisan support if it is considered.
This bill is not important enough to make it to the floor of the Senate. If it does move forward, it will be as part of a larger bill.
Commentary
This bill does not include cybersecurity provisions, so normally I would not cover this bill. But I decided that any ‘smart’ systems legislation that does not include cybersecurity provisions needs to be called out for the lack of cybersecurity.
In this bill the cybersecurity lack could be easily rectified (ignoring the definitional issues) by making the following addition to the allowable use provisions of §2(c):
(5) to provide cybersecurity protections to the traffic signal system.
Ideally, the bill would also add a definition ‘cybersecurity protection’ in §2(h):
(5) CYBERSECURITY PROTECTIONS.—The term “cybersecurity protections” means a collection of devices, processes, and/or procedures designed to protect the traffic signal system from unauthorized access or modification.