HB 1165 -- Child Passenger Restraints

Sponsor:  Dusenberg

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

(1)  Requires children younger 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 safety restraint
system;

(6)  Exempts public carriers for hire or school buses carrying
children four years of age and older; and

(7)  Requires the Highways and Transportation Commission to
develop a public information program to ensure compliance with
child passenger restraint laws.

A violation of the child passenger restraint or safety belt
provisions 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a child restraint violation will be dismissed or withdrawn if the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.

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated November 29, 2006 at 9:42 am