HB 418 -- Child Passenger Restraints

Sponsor:  Dusenberg

This bill changes the laws regarding child passenger restraints
and safety belts.  The bill:

(1)  Requires children less than four years of age to be secured
in a child passenger restraint system;

(2)  Requires children four through five years of age to be
secured in a child passenger restraint system or booster seat;

(3)  Requires children at least six years of age to be secured by
a vehicle safety belt, child passenger restraint system, or
booster seat;

(4)  Allows children weighing more than 40 pounds, who would
otherwise be required to be secured in a booster seat, to be
transported in the back seat of a vehicle while wearing only a
lap belt if the back seat of the motor vehicle is not equipped
with a combination lap and shoulder belt for booster seat
installation;

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

(6)  Exempts public carriers for hire or school buses; and

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

A violation of child passenger restraints and safety belts is an
infraction and punishable by a fine of not more than $25 plus
court costs with no points assessed against any person.  The
charges against any person receiving a citation for a child
restraint violation will be dismissed or withdrawn if the person
provides prior to or at a hearing evidence of the acquisition of
a child passenger restraint system or child booster seat which is
satisfactory to the court or the prosecutor.

The bill has an effective date of January 1, 2006.

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 25, 2005 at 1:19 pm