HCS HB 466 -- CHILD SAFETY RESTRAINTS

CO-SPONSORS:  Crawford

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Transportation and Motor Vehicles by a vote of 20 to 0.

This substitute revises the law pertaining to child passenger
restraints and seat belts.  The substitute:

(1)  Requires children less than four years old, regardless of
weight, or who weigh less than 40 pounds, regardless of age, to
be secured in a child passenger restraint system;

(2)  Requires children four to five years old or weighing 40 to
60 pounds to be secured in a child passenger restraint system or
booster seat;

(3)  Requires children at least six years old or weighing at
least 60 pounds to be secured by a vehicle safety belt;

(4)  Requires car rental agencies doing business in Missouri to
inform customers of the requirements of the substitute and to
provide an appropriate child passenger safety restraint system;

(5)  Exempts public carriers for hire or school buses from
restraint requirements, unless a school bus has been equipped
with safety belts or is required to be equipped with safety belts
by federal motor vehicle safety standards; and

(6)  Requires the Department of Public Safety to develop a public
information program to ensure compliance with child passenger
safety restraint laws.

The substitute has an effective date of January 1, 2004.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that 83% of children between three
and eight years old do not wear seat belts or restraints.  In
2000, booster seat usage was very low (approximately 13%).
Supporters say the leading cause of death of persons from one to
37 years old is auto crashes.  This legislation is a life-saving
and cost-saving measure.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Dusenberg; State Farm
Insurance; State Highway Patrol; Missouri Safety Council;
Division of Highway Safety; and Safe Kids of Greater St. Louis.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Robert Triplett, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:12 am