HBA-CMT, CCH S.B. 113 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 113 By: Moncrief Transportation 4/27/2001 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law requires children who are at least 4 years of age but younger than 15 years of age to wear a safety belt while riding in a car or light truck. Senate Bill 113 increases the age limit to require children younger than 17 years of age to wear a safety belt while riding in a passenger vehicle, and provides an exemption for certain farm vehicles. 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 Senate Bill 113 amends the Transportation Code to provide that a person operating a passenger vehicle commits an offense if the person allows a child who is at least 4 years of age but younger than 17 years of age to ride in the vehicle without wearing a safety belt. The bill provides that it is a defense to prosecution for such an offense if the person is operating a commercially registered farm vehicle that has a gross weight or registered weight of less than 48,000 pounds. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Committee Amendment No. 1 modifies the bill to provide that a person commits an offense if the person operates a passenger vehicle and transports a child that is younger than four years of age or less than 40 pounds in weight rather than two years of age and does not keep the child secured during the operation of the vehicle in a child passenger safety seat system. The bill deletes the provision that a person commits an offense if the person transports a child that is older than two but younger than four years of age and does not keep the child secured in a child passenger safety seat system or by a seat belt during the operation of the vehicle.