Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-110
§20105 State Participation
Title 49 › SUBTITLE V — RAIL PROGRAMS › PART A — SAFETY › CHAPTER 201 — GENERAL › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL › § 20105
Summary
The Secretary in charge can set what investigations and checks are needed to enforce federal railroad safety rules. A State can help carry out those checks if a State safety agency sends an annual certification saying it has safety authority, got copies of the federal rules and orders that apply, and is doing the required investigations. The certification must also give a report in the Secretary’s form that lists each railroad carrier in the State, describes any accidents in the past 12 months that caused a death, a hospitalizing injury, or more than $750 in damage (and the agency’s investigation of each), says how the State keeps records and inspects railroads (including how many inspections it did), and includes any other information the Secretary asks for. A certification only covers rules in effect when it’s made; new rules need a new certification. If the Secretary finds the State is not doing the job, the Secretary can reject part or all of the certification but must give notice and a hearing, and the State must prove it is following the requirements. If there is no certification, the Secretary may make an agreement with a State to provide some or all of the investigation and surveillance tasks. The Secretary can end such an agreement if the State fails to do the work, but must give notice, a hearing, publish the termination in the Federal Register, and wait at least 15 days after publication before it takes effect. The Secretary can pay up to 50 percent of the next fiscal year’s cost for people, equipment, and activities under a certification or agreement, but only if the State promises to fund the rest and spends at least as much state money (not counting federal grants) as the average it spent for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1969 and June 30, 1970. The Secretary may also monitor State practices and do inspections. Definitions: “Safety” includes security. “Secretary concerned” means the Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate.
Full Legal Text
Title 49, §20105
Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Investigative and Surveillance Activities.—
The Secretary concerned may prescribe investigative and surveillance activities necessary to enforce the safety regulations prescribed and orders issued by the Secretary that apply to railroad equipment, facilities, rolling stock, and operations in a State. The State may participate in those activities when the safety practices for railroad equipment, facilities, rolling stock, and operations in the State are regulated by a State authority and the authority submits to the Secretary concerned an annual certification as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(b)Annual Certification.—
(1)A State authority’s annual certification must include—
(A)a certification that the authority—
(i)has regulatory jurisdiction over the safety practices for railroad equipment, facilities, rolling stock, and operations in the State;
(ii)was given a copy of each safety regulation prescribed and order issued by the Secretary concerned, that applies to the equipment, facilities, rolling stock, or operations, as of the date of certification; and
(iii)is conducting the investigative and surveillance activities prescribed by the Secretary concerned under subsection (a) of this section; and
(B)a report, in the form the Secretary concerned prescribes by regulation, that includes—
(i)the name and address of each railroad carrier subject to the safety jurisdiction of the authority;
(ii)each accident or incident reported during the prior 12 months by a railroad carrier involving a fatality, personal injury requiring hospitalization, or property damage of more than $750 (or a higher amount prescribed by the Secretary concerned), and a summary of the authority’s investigation of the cause and circumstances surrounding the accident or incident;
(iii)the record maintenance, reporting, and inspection practices conducted by the authority to aid the Secretary concerned in enforcing railroad safety regulations prescribed and orders issued by the Secretary concerned, including the number of inspections made of railroad equipment, facilities, rolling stock, and operations by the authority during the prior 12 months; and
(iv)other information the Secretary concerned requires.
(2)An annual certification applies to a safety regulation prescribed or order issued after the date of the certification only if the State authority submits an appropriate certification to provide the necessary investigative and surveillance activities.
(3)If, after receipt of an annual certification, the Secretary concerned decides the State authority is not complying satisfactorily with the investigative and surveillance activities prescribed under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary concerned may reject any part of the certification or take other appropriate action to achieve adequate enforcement. The Secretary concerned must give the authority notice and an opportunity for a hearing before taking action under this paragraph. When the Secretary concerned gives notice, the burden of proof is on the authority to show that it is complying satisfactorily with the investigative and surveillance activities prescribed by the Secretary concerned.
(c)Agreement When Certification Not Received.—
(1)If the Secretary concerned does not receive an annual certification under subsection (a) of this section related to any railroad equipment, facility, rolling stock, or operation, the Secretary concerned may make an agreement with a State authority for the authority to provide any part of the investigative and surveillance activities prescribed by the Secretary concerned as necessary to enforce the safety regulations and orders applicable to the equipment, facility, rolling stock, or operation.
(2)The Secretary concerned may terminate any part of an agreement made under this subsection on finding that the authority has not provided every part of the investigative and surveillance activities to which the agreement relates. The Secretary concerned must give the authority notice and an opportunity for a hearing before making such a finding. The finding and termination shall be published in the Federal Register and may not become effective for at least 15 days after the date of publication.
(d)Agreement for Investigative and Surveillance Activities.—
In addition to providing for State participation under this section, the Secretary concerned may make an agreement with a State to provide investigative and surveillance activities related to the duties under chapters 203–213 of this title (in the case of the Secretary of Transportation) and duties under section 114 of this title (in the case of the Secretary of Homeland Security).
(e)Payment.—
On application by a State authority that has submitted a certification under subsections (a) and (b) of this section or made an agreement under subsection (c) or (d) of this section, the Secretary concerned shall pay not more than 50 percent of the cost of the personnel, equipment, and activities of the authority needed, during the next fiscal year, to carry out a safety program under the certification or agreement. However, the Secretary concerned may pay an authority only when the authority assures the Secretary concerned that it will provide the remaining cost of the safety program and that the total State money expended for the safety program, excluding grants of the United States Government, will be at least as much as the average amount expended for the fiscal years that ended June 30, 1969, and June 30, 1970.
(f)Monitoring.—
The Secretary concerned may monitor State investigative and surveillance practices and carry out other inspections and investigations necessary to help enforce this chapter (in the case of the Secretary of Transportation) and duties under section 114 of this title (in the case of the Secretary of Homeland Security).
(g)Definitions.—
In this section
(1)
(2)the term “Secretary concerned” means—
(A)the Secretary of Transportation, with respect to railroad safety matters concerning such Secretary under laws administered by that Secretary; and
(B)the Secretary of Homeland Security, with respect to railroad safety matters concerning such Secretary under laws administered by that Secretary.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 20105(a)45:435(a) (1st sentence related to authority for State participation).Oct. 16, 1970, Pub. L. 91–458, § 206(a) (1st sentence), (b), (f), 84 Stat. 972, 973, 974; Nov. 16, 1990, Pub. L. 101–615, § 28(a)(1)–(3), (b), (c), 104 Stat. 3276, 3277. 20105(b) (1)(A)45:435(a) (1st sentence related to contents of certification). 20105(b) (1)(B)45:435(b) (1st sentence). 20105(b)(2)45:435(f). 20105(b)(3)45:435(b) (2d–last sentences). 20105(c)45:435(c).Oct. 16, 1970, Pub. L. 91–458, § 206(c), (e), 84 Stat. 973, 974. 20105(d)45:435(g).Oct. 16, 1970, Pub. L. 91–458, 84 Stat. 971, § 206(g); added Oct. 10, 1980, Pub. L. 96–423, § 4(a), 94 Stat. 1812. 20105(e)45:435(d).Oct. 16, 1970, Pub. L. 91–458, § 206(d), 84 Stat. 974; Oct. 10, 1980, Pub. L. 96–423, § 4(b), 94 Stat. 1812. 20105(f)45:435(e). In subsection (a), the first sentence is added for clarity. In subsection (b)(1)(A)(iii), the words “as necessary for the
Enforcement
by him of each rule, regulation, order, and standard referred to in paragraph (2) of this subsection, as interpreted by the Secretary” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (b)(1)(B)(i) and (ii), the words “railroad carrier” are substituted for “railroad” because of the definition of “railroad carrier” in section 20102 of the revised title. In subsection (b)(1)(B)(iii), the words “a detail of” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (b)(3), the text of 45:435(b) (2d sentence) and the words “as he deems”, “reasonable”, and “with respect to such safety rules,
Regulations
, orders, and standards” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (c)(1), the word “enforce” is substituted for “obtain compliance with” for clarity and consistency in this section. In subsection (e), the words “out of funds appropriated pursuant to this subchapter or otherwise made available”, “reasonably”, and “satisfactory” are omitted as surplus. The words “will be at least as much as the average amount expended” are substituted for “will be maintained at a level which does not fall below the average level of such expenditures” for clarity and to eliminate unnecessary words.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–296, § 1710(a)(2), substituted “the Secretary concerned” for “the Secretary” in second sentence. Pub. L. 107–296, § 1710(a)(1), substituted “The Secretary concerned” for “The Secretary of Transportation” in first sentence. Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 107–296, § 1710(a)(2), substituted “Secretary concerned” for “Secretary” wherever appearing. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107–296, § 1710(a)(2), (3), substituted “Secretary concerned” for “Secretary” and “duties under chapters 203–213 of this title (in the case of the Secretary of Transportation) and duties under section 114 of this title (in the case of the Secretary of Homeland Security)” for “Secretary’s duties under chapters 203–213 of this title”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 107–296, § 1710(a)(2), substituted “Secretary concerned” for “Secretary” wherever appearing. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 107–296, § 1710(a)(2), (4), substituted “Secretary concerned” for “Secretary” and “chapter (in the case of the Secretary of Transportation) and duties under section 114 of this title (in the case of the Secretary of Homeland Security)” for “chapter”. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 107–296, § 1710(a)(5), added subsec. (g).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective 60 days after Nov. 25, 2002, see section 4 of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 101 of Title 6, Domestic Security.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
49 U.S.C. § 20105
Title 49, Transportation
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110