Act reauthorizes NTSB with goal of modernization

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Five members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation recently introduced the National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act, which would provide the NTSB with $113.4 million to fund the board through fiscal year 2023.

The act also creates a number of reforms aimed at improving transparency and modernizing.

“The National Transportation Safety Board is the driver of safety improvements for our transportation system – whether it’s investigating accidents or making recommendations to improve our safety laws,” Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), ranking member of the committee, said. “This bill will expand the board’s tools and give them the resources they need to make sure that major transportation accidents are thoroughly investigated.”

Reforms include increased transparency by adding images to all NTSB investigations. By law, the NTSB investigates all civil aviation accidents and many highway, marine, rail, and pipeline accidents.

Loopholes would be closed to improve information sharing between government agencies during the course of an investigation.

Additionally, the NTSB would be required to better document its data collection and evaluation process, and must publish public reports related to the safety recommendation process.

Allow the majority of NTSB members to meet privately to discuss official business. Disclosure requirements would apply to these meetings.