SAFETEA-LU State Highway Safety Programs

Section 1906 Racial Profiling Prohibition Grants


History and Administration

Section 1906 Racial Profiling Prohibition Grants is a new program authorized by SAFETEA-LU. It is administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at the federal level and the State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO) at the state level.

Purpose

The purpose of this program is to provide grants to states that prohibit racial profiling.

Requirements

A state is eligible for a grant if it:

  • 1) Enacts and enforces a law that prohibits the use of racial profiling in the enforcement of state laws regulating the use of federal-aid highways, and 2) Maintains and allows public inspection of race and ethnicity data for each motor vehicle stop made by law enforcement officials on federal-aid highways, OR
  • Provides assurances to the Department of Transportation that the state is undertaking activities to comply with 1) and 2).

Eligible states may use grant funds to:

  • Collect and maintain data on traffic stops
  • Evaluate the results of the data
  • Develop and implement programs to reduce racial profiling (including law enforcement training programs)
  • Undertake activities to comply with the basic requirements of the grant program
  • undertake any activities relating to enacting and enforcing a law and collecting data on traffic stops

Funding

SAFETEA-LU authorizes the Section 1906 program at $7.5 million each year for FY 2005 - FY 2009. Eligible states may not receive more than 5% of total funding or grants for more than two years. The federal share payable is 80%. Funds are available until expended and may not be transferred.

Current and Previous Fiscal Year Funding Levels >>