HBA-EDN H.B. 2018 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2018
By: Uresti
Transportation
4/27/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of unintentional
injury-related death among children one to four years of age.  Research has
shown that child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 47 percent
in children one to four years of age.  Under current law, the penalty for
transporting a child passenger younger than four years of age in a motor
vehicle without properly restraining the child may not be less than $25 or
more than $50.  House Bill 2018 increases the fine for such an offense to
not be less than $200 or more than $1,000.     

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 2018 amends the Transportation Code to increase the minimum
penalty, from $25 to $200, and the maximum penalty, from $50 to $1,000, for
an offense of transporting in a passenger car or light truck a child
passenger younger than two years of age without properly securing the child
in a safety seat system or a child passenger who is at least two years of
age but younger than four without properly securing the child in a safety
seat system or by a safety belt.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.