Alabama 2024 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB265 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1	1	HB265ENGROSSED
2	2	Page 0
3	3	HB265
4	4	PD9CGER-2
5	5	By Representative Bolton
6	6	RFD: Public Safety and Homeland Security
7	7	First Read: 29-Feb-24
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12	12	5 HB265 Engrossed
13	13	Page 1
14	14	First Read: 29-Feb-24
15	15	A BILL
16	16	TO BE ENTITLED
17	17	AN ACT
18	18	Relating to motor vehicles; to amend Section 32-5-222,
19	19	Code of Alabama 1975, to further provide for the requirement
20	20	to use child passenger restraint systems and seatbelts; and in
21	21	connection therewith would have as its purpose or effect the
22	22	requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds
23	23	within the meaning of Section 111.05 of the Constitution of
24	24	Alabama of 2022.
25	25	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
26	26	Section 1. Section 32-5-222, Code of Alabama 1975, is
27	27	amended to read as follows:
28	28	"§32-5-222
29	29	(a) Every person transporting a child in a motor
30	30	vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this
31	31	state, shall provide for the protection of the child by
32	32	properly using an aftermarket or integrated child passenger
33	33	restraint system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle
34	34	safety standards and the requirements of subsection (b). This
35	35	section shall not be interpreted to release in part or in
36	36	whole the responsibility of an automobile manufacturer to
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66	66	whole the responsibility of an automobile manufacturer to
67	67	insure ensure the safety of children to a level at least
68	68	equivalent to existing federal safety standards for adults. In
69	69	no event shall failure to wear a child passenger restraint
70	70	system be considered as contributory negligence. The term
71	71	"motor vehicle" as used in this section shall include a
72	72	passenger car, pickup truck, van (seating capacity of 10 or
73	73	less), minivan, or sports utility vehicle.
74	74	(b) The size appropriate restraint system required for
75	75	a child in subsection (a) must meet the requirements of
76	76	Section 32-5B-4 and shall include all of the following:
77	77	(1) Infant only seats and convertible seats used in the
78	78	rear facing position for infants until the child is at least
79	79	one yeartwo years of age or 20 pounds35 pounds in weight . In
80	80	the event that a child less than two years of age weighs more
81	81	than the recommended weight rating for the infant seat, but
82	82	less than 35 pounds, a convertible seat must be used.
83	83	(2) Convertible seats in the forward position or
84	84	forward facing seats until the child is at least five years of
85	85	age or 40 pounds65 pounds in weight .
86	86	(3) BoosterBelt positioning booster seats until the
87	87	child is at least six years of age and can satisfy all of the
88	88	following conditions:
89	89	a. The child is able to sit all the way back against
90	90	the vehicle seat.
91	91	b. The child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of
92	92	the seat.
93	93	c. The seatbelt crosses the child's shoulder between
94	94	the neck and arm.
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124	124	the neck and arm.
125	125	d. The lap belt is able to lay flat across the child's
126	126	upper thighs.
127	127	e. The child is able to stay seated as described in
128	128	this subdivision for the entire trip .
129	129	(4) Seat belts until 15 years of age for every other
130	130	individual, except as provided under Section 32-5B-4(b) .
131	131	(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a)
132	132	and (b), it is recommended that no child under 13 years of age
133	133	ride in the front seat of a motor vehicle, and further
134	134	recommended that the child should ride in the second or third
135	135	row of the motor vehicle, unless either of the following
136	136	circumstances exist:
137	137	(1) The motor vehicle does not have a second row of
138	138	seats.
139	139	(2) Circumstances require the child to use the front
140	140	seat, including when all otherwise available second or third
141	141	row seats are full or are equipped with a child passenger
142	142	restraint system not applicable to the child.
143	143	(c)(d)No provision of this This section shall not be
144	144	construed as creatingto create any duty, standard of care,
145	145	right, or liability between parent and child that is not
146	146	recognized under the laws of the State of Alabama as they
147	147	presently exist, or may, at any time in the future, be
148	148	constituted by statute or decision .
149	149	(d)(e) Any person violating the provisions of this
150	150	section shall be required to attend a court hearing on the
151	151	violation, which may not be waived.
152	152	(f)(1)a. On a first violation, the person may be fined
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182	182	(f)(1)a. On a first violation, the person may be fined
183	183	twenty-five dollars ($25) for each offense .
184	184	b. On a second violation within a five-year period, the
185	185	person shall be fined fifty dollars ($50).
186	186	c. On a third violation within a five-year period, the
187	187	person shall be fined one hundred dollars ($100).
188	188	d. On a four or subsequent violation within a five-year
189	189	period, the person shall be fined one hundred fifty dollars
190	190	($150).
191	191	(2) The chargesUpon a first violation only, the charge
192	192	may be dismissed by the trial judge hearing the case and no
193	193	court costs shall be assessed upon proof of acquisition of an
194	194	appropriate child passenger restraint.
195	195	(e)(g) Fifteen dollars ($15) of a fine imposed under
196	196	subsection (d)(e) shall be used to distribute vouchers for
197	197	size appropriate child passenger restraint systems to families
198	198	of limited income in the state. The fifteen dollars ($15)
199	199	shall be deposited in the State Treasury to be distributed by
200	200	the state Comptroller to the Department of Public Health,
201	201	which shall administer the program free of charge.
202	202	(f)(h) The provisions of this section notwithstanding,
203	203	nothing contained herein in this section shall be deemed a
204	204	violation of any law which that would otherwise nullify or
205	205	change in any way the provisions or coverage of any insurance
206	206	contract.
207	207	(g)(i) For the purpose of identifying habitually
208	208	negligent drivers and habitual or frequent violators, the
209	209	Department of Public Safety shall assess the following points:
210	210	(1) Violation of child safety restraint requirements,
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240	240	(1) Violation of child safety restraint requirements,
241	241	first offense ......................1 point.
242	242	(2) Violation of child safety restraint requirements,
243	243	second or subsequent offense .............2 points.
244	244	(h)(j) Every person transporting a child shall be
245	245	responsible for assuring ensuring that each child is properly
246	246	restrained pursuant to this section . The provisions
247	247	shall;provided, this subsection does not apply to taxis and
248	248	allor motor vehicles with a seating capacity of 11 or more
249	249	passengers.
250	250	(i)(k) Each state, county, and municipal police
251	251	department shall maintain statistical information on traffic
252	252	stops of minorities pursuant to this section, and shall report
253	253	that information monthly to the Department of Public Safety
254	254	and the Office of the Attorney General."
255	255	Section 2. Although this bill would have as its purpose
256	256	or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of
257	257	local funds, the bill is excluded from further requirements
258	258	and application under Section 111.05 of the Constitution of
259	259	Alabama of 2022, because the bill defines a new crime or
260	260	amends the definition of an existing crime.
261	261	Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
262	262	1, 2024.
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286	286	1, 2024.
287	287	House of Representatives
288	288	Read for the first time and referred
289	289	to the House of Representatives
290	290	committee on Public Safety and
291	291	Homeland Security
292	292	................29-Feb-24
293	293	Read for the second time and placed
294	294	on the calendar:
295	295	1 amendment
296	296	................06-Mar-24
297	297	Read for the third time and passed
298	298	as amended
299	299	Yeas 100
300	300	Nays 0
301	301	Abstains 0
302	302	................19-Mar-24
303	303	John Treadwell
304	304	Clerk
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