Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB18 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	HB18INTRODUCED
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3	3	HB18
4	4	QV8G554-1
5	5	By Representative Bolton
6	6	RFD: Public Safety and Homeland Security
7	7	First Read: 04-Feb-25
8	8	PFD: 08-Jul-24
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14	14	6 QV8G554-1 06/18/2024 CMH (L) bm 2024-1845
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16	16	PFD: 08-Jul-24
17	17	SYNOPSIS:
18	18	Under existing law, children are required to
19	19	use child passenger restraint systems based on their
20	20	age and weight. Specifically, children are required to
21	21	use rear facing car seats until at least one year of
22	22	age or 20 pounds; are required to use front facing
23	23	convertible seats until at least five years of age or
24	24	40 pounds; and are required to use booster seats until
25	25	at least six years of age.
26	26	This bill would revise the weight and age
27	27	ranges for determining the appropriate child restraint
28	28	system and would increase penalties associated with a
29	29	violation.
30	30	A BILL
31	31	TO BE ENTITLED
32	32	AN ACT
33	33	Relating to motor vehicles; to amend Section 32-5-222,
34	34	Code of Alabama 1975, to further provide for the requirement
35	35	to use child passenger restraint systems and seatbelts; and to
36	36	increase penalties for a violation.
37	37	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
38	38	Section 1. Section 32-5-222, Code of Alabama 1975, is
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66	66	28 HB18 INTRODUCED
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68	68	Section 1. Section 32-5-222, Code of Alabama 1975, is
69	69	amended to read as follows:
70	70	"§32-5-222
71	71	(a) Every person transporting a child in a motor
72	72	vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this
73	73	state, shall provide for the protection of the child by
74	74	properly using an aftermarket or integrated child passenger
75	75	restraint system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle
76	76	safety standards and the requirements of subsection (b). This
77	77	section shall not be interpreted to release in part or in
78	78	whole the responsibility of an automobile manufacturer to
79	79	insure ensure the safety of children to a level at least
80	80	equivalent to existing federal safety standards for adults. In
81	81	no event shall failure to wear a child passenger restraint
82	82	system be considered as contributory negligence. The term
83	83	"motor vehicle" as used in this section shall include a
84	84	passenger car, pickup truck, van (seating capacity of 10 or
85	85	less), minivan, or sports utility vehicle.
86	86	(b) The size appropriate restraint system required for
87	87	a child in subsection (a) must meet the requirements of
88	88	Section 32-5B-4 and shall include all of the following:
89	89	(1) Infant only seats and convertible seats used in the
90	90	rear facing position for infants until the child is at least
91	91	one yeartwo years of age or 20 pounds35 pounds in weight . In
92	92	the event that a child less than two years of age weighs more
93	93	than the recommended weight rating for the infant seat, but
94	94	less than 35 pounds, a convertible seat must be used.
95	95	(2) Convertible seats in the forward position or
96	96	forward facing seats until the child is at least five years of
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126	126	forward facing seats until the child is at least five years of
127	127	age or 40 pounds65 pounds in weight .
128	128	(3) BoosterBelt positioning booster seats until the
129	129	child is at least six years of age and can satisfy all of the
130	130	following conditions:
131	131	a. The child is able to sit all the way back against
132	132	the vehicle seat.
133	133	b. The child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of
134	134	the seat.
135	135	c. The seatbelt crosses the child's shoulder between
136	136	the neck and arm.
137	137	d. The lap belt is able to lay flat across the child's
138	138	upper thighs.
139	139	e. The child is able to stay seated as described in
140	140	this subdivision for the entire trip .
141	141	(4) Seat belts until 15 years of age for every other
142	142	individual, except as provided under Section 32-5B-4(b) .
143	143	(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a)
144	144	and (b), it is recommended that no child under 13 years of age
145	145	ride in the front seat of a motor vehicle, and further
146	146	recommended that the child should ride in the second or third
147	147	row of the motor vehicle, unless either of the following
148	148	circumstances exist:
149	149	(1) The motor vehicle does not have a second row of
150	150	seats.
151	151	(2) Circumstances require the child to use the front
152	152	seat, including when all otherwise available second or third
153	153	row seats are full or are equipped with a child passenger
154	154	restraint system not applicable to the child.
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184	184	restraint system not applicable to the child.
185	185	(c)(d)No provision of this This section shall not be
186	186	construed as creatingto create any duty, standard of care,
187	187	right, or liability between parent and child that is not
188	188	recognized under the laws of the State of Alabama as they
189	189	presently exist, or may, at any time in the future, be
190	190	constituted by statute or decision .
191	191	(d)(e) Any person violating the provisions of this
192	192	section shall be required to attend a court hearing on the
193	193	violation, which may not be waived.
194	194	(f)(1)a. On a first violation, the person may be fined
195	195	twenty-five dollars ($25) for each offense .
196	196	b. On a second violation within a five-year period, the
197	197	person shall be fined fifty dollars ($50).
198	198	c. On a third violation within a five-year period, the
199	199	person shall be fined one hundred dollars ($100).
200	200	d. On a four or subsequent violation within a five-year
201	201	period, the person shall be fined one hundred fifty dollars
202	202	($150).
203	203	(2) The chargesUpon a first violation only, the charge
204	204	may be dismissed by the trial judge hearing the case and no
205	205	court costs shall be assessed upon proof of acquisition of an
206	206	appropriate child passenger restraint.
207	207	(e)(g) Fifteen dollars ($15) of a fine imposed under
208	208	subsection (d)(f) shall be used to distribute vouchers for
209	209	size appropriate child passenger restraint systems to families
210	210	of limited income in the state. The fifteen dollars ($15)
211	211	shall be deposited in the State Treasury to be distributed by
212	212	the state Comptroller to the Department of Public Health,
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242	242	the state Comptroller to the Department of Public Health,
243	243	which shall administer the program free of charge.
244	244	(f)(h) Nothing The provisions of this section
245	245	notwithstanding, nothing contained herein in this section
246	246	shall be deemed a violation of any law which that would
247	247	otherwise nullify or change in any way the provisions or
248	248	coverage of any insurance contract.
249	249	(g)(i) For the purpose of identifying habitually
250	250	negligent drivers and habitual or frequent violators, the
251	251	Department of Public Safety Secretary of the Alabama State Law
252	252	Enforcement Agency shall assess the following points:
253	253	(1) Violation of child safety restraint requirements,
254	254	first offense ......................1 point.
255	255	(2) Violation of child safety restraint requirements,
256	256	second or subsequent offense .............2 points.
257	257	(h)(j) Every person transporting a child shall be
258	258	responsible for assuring ensuring that each child is properly
259	259	restrained pursuant to this section . The provisions shall ;
260	260	provided, this subsection does not apply to taxis and allor
261	261	motor vehicles with a seating capacity of 11 or more
262	262	passengers.
263	263	(i)(k) Each state, county, and municipal police
264	264	department shall maintain statistical information on traffic
265	265	stops of minorities pursuant to this section, and shall report
266	266	that information monthly to the Department of Public
267	267	SafetyAlabama State Law Enforcement Agency and the Office of
268	268	the Attorney General."
269	269	Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
270	270	1, 2025.
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