I
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5381
To provide for the improvement of the safety of child restraints in passenger
motor vehicles, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 12, 2002
Mr. WALDEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide for the improvement of the safety of child re-
straints in passenger motor vehicles, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as ‘‘Anton’s Law’’.
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT OF SAFETY OF CHILD RESTRAINTS
IN PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans-
portation shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to estab-
lish a safety standard for booster seats used in passenger
motor vehicles. The standard shall apply to any child occu-
pant of a passenger motor vehicle for whom a booster seat,
used in combination with an adult seat belt, is an appro-
priate form of child restraint.
(b) ELEMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION.—In the rule-
making proceeding required by subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall—
(1) consider whether or not to establish injury
performance criteria for children under the safety
standard to be established in the rulemaking pro-
ceeding;
(2) consider whether or not to establish seat
belt positioning performance requirements for boost-
er seats;
(3) consider whether or not to establish a sepa-
rate Federal motor vehicle safety standard for boost-
er seats or incorporate booster seat requirements
into an existing Federal motor vehicle safety stand-
ard; and
(4) review the definition of the term ‘‘booster
seat’’, as that term is defined in Standard No. 213
set forth in section 571.213 of title 49, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations, to determine if it is sufficiently
comprehensive.
(c) COMPLETION.—The Secretary shall complete the
rulemaking proceeding required by subsection (a) not later
than 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT OF CRASH TEST
DUMMY SIMULATING A 10-YEAR OLD CHILD.
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and
Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on
the current schedule and status of activities of the Depart-
ment of Transportation to develop and certify a dummy
that simulates a 10-year old child for use in testing the
effectiveness of child restraints used in passenger motor
vehicles.
SEC. 4. REGULATIONS ON MANDATORY USE OF LAP AND
SHOULDER BELTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 24 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans-
portation shall complete a rulemaking proceeding to
amend Standard No. 208 set forth in section 571.208 of
title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, in order to—
(1) require each seat belt assembly in the rear
seats of a passenger motor vehicle to be a lap and
shoulder belt assembly; and
(2) apply that requirement to passenger motor
vehicles beginning after the production year in which
the regulations are prescribed in compliance with the
implementation schedule under subsection (b).
(b) IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE.—The requirement
prescribed under subsection (a)(1) may be implemented
through a phase-in schedule prescribed by the Secretary
which schedule may be similar to the phase-in schedule
set forth in paragraph S.14.1.1 of section 571.208 of title
49, Code of Federal Regulations, except that the require-
ment shall apply to not less than—
(1) 50 percent of a manufacturer’s production
of passenger motor vehicles for the first production
year to which the requirement applies;
(2) 80 percent of a manufacturer’s production
of passenger motor vehicles for the second produc-
tion year to which the requirement applies; and
(3) 100 percent of a manufacturer’s production
of passenger motor vehicles for the third production
year to which the requirement applies.
SEC. 5. TWO-YEAR EXTENSION OF OCCUPANT PROTECTION
INCENTIVE GRANTS PROGRAM.
Section 2003(b)(7) of the Transportation Equity Act
for the 21st Century (23 U.S.C. 405 note; 112 Stat. 328)
is amended by striking ‘‘and 2001’’ and inserting
‘‘through 2003’’.
SEC. 6. INCENTIVE GRANTS FOR USE OF SAFETY BELTS
AND CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS BY CHIL-
DREN.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 301 of
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following:
‘‘§ 30128. Grant program for improving child occu-
pant safety programs
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation may make grants under this section as fol-
lows:
‘‘(A) A basic grant to any State that en-
acts a child restraint law by October 1, 2003.
‘‘(B) A supplemental grant to any State
described by subparagraph (A) if the child re-
straint law concerned is an enhanced child re-
straint law.
‘‘(2) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF GRANTS IN
ANY STATE FISCAL YEAR.—Not more than one grant