To standardize and clarify the dimensions of carry-on baggage and personal items on air carriers.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. LIPINSKI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the 'Securing Cabin Baggage Act'.
SEC. 2. CARRY-ON BAGGAGE.
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(a) TSA Regulations-
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(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, and except as provided in subsection
(c), the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, Transportation Security Administration,
shall issue regulations to establish a limit on the size of
baggage and personal items allowed to be carried by a
passenger on board an aircraft.
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(2) CARRY-ON BAGGAGE RESTRICTIONS- Such regulations shall
require that each passenger may bring only one carry-on bag
and one personal item, the dimensions of each, when loaded,
shall not exceed 56 centimeters in length by 45 centimeters
in height by 25 centimeters in width (rounded to 22 inches
by 18 inches (17.75) by 10 inches (9.85)).
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(b) FAA Regulations- Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration shall modify section 121.589 of title 14, Code of
Federal Regulations, to require that the carry-on baggage
program of each air carrier limits each passenger boarding an
aircraft to not more than one piece of carry-on baggage and one
personal item described in subsection (a). An air carrier may
establish smaller size limits for carry-on baggage and a
personal item than the limits set forth in this section.
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(c) Exclusions for Carry-on Baggage Limitations- The carry-on
baggage and personal item limitations established by the TSA and
the FAA under this section shall not apply to--
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(1) a child safety seat for a child passenger;
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(2) assistive devices for disabled passengers, including
wheelchairs, canes, and crutches;
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(3) musical instruments;
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(4) outer garments, including a coat and a hat; and
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(5) cockpit and cabin crew in uniform.
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(d) Notification-
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(1) TSA- The TSA shall post on its Web site and in plain
view signs notifying passengers of the Federal carry-on
baggage and personal item limitations at the check-in desk
outside of the passenger security screening checkpoint and
at the passenger security screening checkpoint.
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(2) FAA- The FAA shall provide notice of carry-on baggage
and personal item limitations to each ticket purchaser and
post such limitations on its Web site, in appropriate
passenger education sections.
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(e) Use of Template-
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(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 6 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, TSA shall install and utilize a
template with a maximum depth and width that will prevent
the conveyor belt passage at each security checkpoint of
carry-on baggage or a personal item that exceeds the
dimensions set forth in subsection (a).
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(2) CHECK-IN REQUIREMENT- TSA representatives shall require
any passenger whose carry-on baggage or personal item
exceeds the maximum length of the dimensions set forth in
subsection (a) to check such carry-on baggage or personal
item.
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(f) Definitions- In this section, the following definitions
apply:
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(1) The term 'FAA' means the Federal Aviation
Administration.
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(2) The term 'passenger' means an individual who boards an
aircraft, including any child under the age of 2 who boards
an aircraft without regard to whether or not a ticket for
air transportation was purchased for the child.
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(3) The term 'TSA' means the Transportation Security
Administration.