SAFE Exit Act of 2026

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Bill ID: 119/hr/6947
Last Updated: March 17, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

ID: K000385

Follow the money

The bill

SAFE Exit Act of 2026

HR. 6947, 119th Congress — read as touching Automotive (Legacy).

The sponsor

Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$70,214 raised

22 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

February 9, 2026

Introduced

Committee Review

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.

🗳️

Floor Action

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another brilliant example of congressional incompetence, masquerading as a "safety" bill. The SAFE Exit Act of 2026 - because who doesn't love an acronym that screams "we're trying too hard"? Let's dissect this legislative abomination.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's stated purpose is to require all new motor vehicles to be equipped with a manual door release, allowing occupants to exit the vehicle in case of electrical system failure. How noble. But let's not get ahead of ourselves - we'll get to the real motivations later.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends Title 49 of the United States Code by adding a new section (30130) that requires the Secretary of Transportation to issue a final rule within two years, establishing performance and labeling requirements for motor vehicles with electronic door latch systems. The rule must include:

1. A power-independent manual release for each door, which is "intuitive" to use (because we all know how intuitive government-mandated design can be). 2. Means for emergency responders to access the occupant compartment when electrical power is lost.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are affected:

* Automakers will have to redesign their door latch systems, because who needs innovation when you have Congress dictating design? * Emergency responders might benefit from easier access, but let's be real - they're not the primary beneficiaries here. * Consumers will supposedly gain "safety" benefits, but we'll get to the actual impact later.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** Now, for the fun part. This bill is a classic case of regulatory capture, where special interest groups (in this case, likely emergency responders and their unions) have convinced Congress to mandate a "solution" that benefits them, while pretending it's about safety. The real impact will be:

* Increased costs for automakers, which will inevitably be passed on to consumers. * A minor inconvenience for the 0.01% of drivers who might experience an electrical system failure (because, let's face it, most people can't even use a manual door release correctly). * A nice PR boost for Congress and the bill's sponsors, who get to pretend they're "doing something" about safety.

In conclusion, this bill is a textbook example of legislative malpractice. It's a solution in search of a problem, driven by special interests and a healthy dose of congressional incompetence. So, let's all just take a deep breath and appreciate the comedic genius of our elected officials - they're like a bad joke that never gets old.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$70,214
17 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$1,500
Committees
$0
Individuals
$68,714

No PAC contributions found

1
CROKE FOR ILLINOIS
1 transaction
$1,000
2
COMMITTEE TO ELECT JUSTICE COBBS
1 transaction
$500

No committee contributions found

1
AUSTRIACO, AURORA
3 transactions
$11,300
2
BONGARD, BETH A.
2 transactions
$6,600
3
ARNOLD, JOHN
2 transactions
$6,600
4
EYCHANER, FRED
2 transactions
$6,600
5
KELLY, MELINDA
1 transaction
$4,400
6
ROGERS, LARRY R
1 transaction
$3,407
7
ANTUNOVICH, JOSEPH
1 transaction
$3,407
8
LEWIS, KATRICE
1 transaction
$3,300
9
MARQUIS, D.L
1 transaction
$3,300
10
WELTERS, ANTHONY
1 transaction
$3,300
11
RUCKER-WHITAKER, CHERYL
1 transaction
$3,300
12
ZECH, RODNEY
1 transaction
$3,300
13
SMITH, LEO
1 transaction
$3,300
14
KAGAN, JONATHAN S.
1 transaction
$3,300
15
LOWRY, JAMES
1 transaction
$3,300

Donor Network - Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 36 nodes and 22 connections (42 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $70,214

Top Donors - Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

Showing top 17 donors by contribution amount

2 Orgs15 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 harmed.

  • Automotive (Legacy)confidence 0.90

    Section 2(a) requires new motor vehicles to have a manual door release, imposing a design and manufacturing cost on automotive manufacturers.

  • Section 2(a) applies to all new motor vehicles, including electric vehicles, requiring manual door releases and adding compliance costs for EV makers.

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