[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4446 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4446
To require air carriers and foreign air carriers to provide on a
publicly available website of the carrier information on requirements
for on-board wheelchairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 30, 2023
Mr. Stanton (for himself and Mr. Van Drew) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require air carriers and foreign air carriers to provide on a
publicly available website of the carrier information on requirements
for on-board wheelchairs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Store On-Board Wheelchairs in Cabin
Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. ON-BOARD WHEELCHAIRS.
(a) Requirements.--
(1) In general.--In the case an aircraft that is required
to be equipped with an on-board wheelchair in accordance with
section 382.65 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, an air
carrier and a foreign air carrier shall provide in a prominent
place on a publicly available internet website of the carrier,
and in any place where a passenger can make a reservation,
information regarding the rights and responsibilities of both
passengers on such aircraft and the air carrier or foreign air
carrier, including--
(A) that an air carrier or foreign air carrier is
required to equip aircraft that have more than 60
passenger seats and that have an accessible lavatory
(whether or not having such a lavatory is required by
section 382.63 of such title 14) with an on-board
wheelchair unless an exception described in such
section 382.65 applies;
(B) that a qualified individual with a disability
may request an on-board wheelchair on aircraft with
more than 60 passenger seats even if the lavatory is
not accessible and that the basis of such request must
be that the individual can use an inaccessible lavatory
but cannot reach it from a seat without using an on-
board wheelchair;
(C) that the air carrier or foreign air carrier may
require the qualified individual with a disability to
provide the advance notice specified in section 382.27
of such title 14 in order for the individual to be
provided with the on-board wheelchair; and
(D) if the air carrier or foreign air carrier
requires the advance notice described in subparagraph
(C), information on how a qualified individual with a
disability can make such a request.
(2) Annual training.--An air carrier and a foreign air
carriers shall require that all personnel who regularly
interact with the traveling public, including contractors,
complete annual training regarding assisting qualified
individual with a disability, including regarding the
availability of accessible lavatories and on-board wheelchairs
and such individual's right to request an on-board wheelchair.
(3) Public awareness campaign.--The Secretary shall conduct
a public awareness campaign on the rights of qualified
individuals with a disability, including with respect to
accessible lavatories and such individual's right to request an
on-board wheelchair in accordance with section 382.65 of title
14, Code of Federal Regulations.
(4) Qualified individual with a disability defined.--In
this subsection, the term ``qualified individual with a
disability'' has the meaning given such term in section 382.3
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
(5) Penalties.--The Secretary may assess a civil penalty in
accordance with section 46301 of title 49, United States Code,
to any air carrier or foreign air carrier who fails to meet the
requirements under paragraph (1) or (2).
(b) Increased Civil Penalties.--
(1) In general.--Section 46301(a)(7) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``to
harm''; and
(B) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``Bodily
harm or damage to wheelchair or other mobility
aid'' and inserting ``Damage to wheelchair or
other mobility aid, bodily harm, or failure to
equip aircraft with a wheelchair''; and
(ii) by striking ``or injury to a passenger
with a disability'' and inserting ``, injury to
a passenger with a disability, or a failure to
equip an aircraft with an on-board wheelchair
pursuant to section 382.65 of title 14, Code of
Federal Regulations (or a successor
regulation)''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1)
shall apply to flights occurring on or after the effective date
of the revision described in subsection (a).
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