SAFE Exit Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6947 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6947

   To amend title 49, United States Code, to require each new motor 
vehicle to be equipped with a manual door release allowing timely exit 
regardless of failure of any electrical system, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 2026

Ms. Kelly of Illinois introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 49, United States Code, to require each new motor 
vehicle to be equipped with a manual door release allowing timely exit 
regardless of failure of any electrical system, 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 ``Securing Accessible Funtional 
Emergency Exit Act of 2026'' or the ``SAFE Exit Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. VEHICLE STANDARD FOR MANUAL DOOR RELEASE.

    (a) Manual Door Release.--Subchapter II of chapter 301 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:
``Sec. 30130. Manual door release
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall issue 
a final rule amending Standard 206 to establish performance and 
labeling requirements for motor vehicles equipped with an electronic 
door latch system, including manufacture requirements for--
            ``(1) a power independent, easy-to-find manual release for 
        each door providing occupant egress, which shall be intuitive 
        to use and readily accessible for the occupant; and
            ``(2) means for emergency responder access to the occupant 
        compartment when vehicle electrical power is lost.
    ``(b) Compliance Date.--The compliance date of the revised rule 
issued under subsection (a) shall be not later than 2 years after the 
date on which that rule is issued.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Electronic door latch.--The term `electronic door 
        latch' means a door-locking or door-latching mechanism that 
        relies on electrical power to release or secure a vehicle door.
            ``(2) Manual release.--The term `manual release' means a 
        mechanical device intended for occupant egress that directly 
        disengages the door latch without electrical power.
            ``(3) Standard 206.--The term `Standard 206' means Federal 
        Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 206, contained in section 
        571.206 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subchapter II of 
chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``Sec. 30130. Manual door release.''.
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