HBA-DMH H.B. 1739 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1739 By: Martinez Fischer Transportation 3/8/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE According the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car accidents are a leading cause of death among children in the United States. 1997 traffic statistics for Houston reveal that 61 percent of child passengers in motor vehicles were not properly restrained by seat belts or child safety seats. Increasing the fine for violations relating to improperly restrained child passengers may decrease the number of child fatalities involving motor vehicles. House Bill 1739 increases the penalty for offenses relating to the improper use of child safety belts and child passenger safety seats. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1739 amends the Transportation Code to increase from not less than $25 or more than $50 to not less than $100 or more than $200 the fine for a misdemeanor relating to child safety belt or child passenger safety seat system violations involving a child younger than 15 years of age. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.