Friday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new rules for truck drivers with poor vision, touring the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and an e-cigarette ban on charter plans.
Here’s what is happening:
Smoking: The Department of Transportation will prohibit the use of electronic cigarettes on airplanes, including most chartered flights.
{mosads}The smoking ban would apply to all flights where a flight attendant is present.
The rules goes into effect in 30 days.
Money: The Department of the Treasury is moving forward with new rules to protect the integrity of U.S. currency.
The rules of conduct would apply to people who are taking public tours of the Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP). They could face fines of up to $5,000 and criminal prosecution for not following instructions while on the premises.
“The mission of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is to develop and produce United States currency notes, trusted worldwide. BEP prints billions of dollars in currency — referred to as Federal Reserve notes — each year for delivery to the Federal Reserve System,” the agency wrote.
“Due to the sensitive nature of currency production operations, the Bureau is generally closed to the public,” it added. “Limited areas of the Bureau, however, are accessible for public tours during certain authorized dates and times. Any individual entering, exiting, or on the Bureau’s property is subject to the rules of conduct as prescribed within the regulations, and violations may result in criminal prosecution.”
The new rules go into effect in 30 days.
Trucks: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will allow dozens of truck drivers with poor vision, many of whom are partially blind, to operate commercial motor vehicles.
The FMCSA noted Thursday it is exempting 28 truck drivers from its vision requirements. The agency said it “recognizes that some drivers do not meet the vision requirement, but have adapted their driving to accommodate their vision limitation and demonstrated their ability to drive safely.”
The exemptions apply until Dec. 3, 2017.