II 
107TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5504 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
NOVEMBER 15, 2002 
Received 
AN ACT 
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, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as ‘‘Anton’s Law’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) It is the policy of the Department of Trans-
portation that all child occupants of motor vehicles, 
regardless of seating position, be appropriately re-
strained in order to reduce the incidence of injuries 
and fatalities resulting from motor vehicle crashes 
on the streets, roads, and highways. 
(2) Research has shown that very few children 
between the ages of 4 to 8 years old are in the ap-
propriate restraint for their age when riding in pas-
senger motor vehicles. 
(3) Children who have outgrown their child 
safety seats should ride in a belt-positioning booster 
seat until an adult seat belt fits properly. 
(4) Children who were properly restrained when 
riding in passenger motor vehicles suffered less se-
vere injuries from accidents than children not prop-
erly restrained. 
SEC. 3. IMPROVEMENT OF SAFETY OF CHILD RESTRAINTS 
IN PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 
(hereafter referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall initiate a 
rulemaking proceeding to establish performance require-
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ments for child restraints, including booster seats, for the 
restraint of children weighing more than 50 pounds. 
(b) ELEMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION.—In the rule-
making proceeding required by subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) consider whether to include injury perform-
ance criteria for child restraints, including booster 
seats and other products for use in passenger motor 
vehicles for the restraint of children weighing more 
than 50 pounds, under the requirements established 
in the rulemaking proceeding; 
(2) consider whether to establish performance 
requirements for seat belt fit when used with booster 
seats and other belt guidance devices; 
(3) consider whether to address situations 
where children weighing more than 50 pounds only 
have access to seating positions with lap belts, such 
as allowing tethered child restraints for such chil-
dren; and 
(4) review the definition of the term ‘‘booster 
seat’’ in Federal motor vehicle safety standard No. 
213 under section 571.213 of title 49, Code of Fed-
eral Regulation, to determine if it is sufficiently 
comprehensive. 
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(c) COMPLETION.—The Secretary shall complete the 
rulemaking proceeding required by subsection (a) not later 
than 30 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 4. DEVELOPMENT OF ANTHROPOMORPHIC TEST DE-
VICE SIMULATING A 10-YEAR OLD CHILD. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT
AND EVALUATION.—Not later 
than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall develop and evaluate an 
anthropomorphic test device that simulates a 10-year old 
child for use in testing child restraints used in passenger 
motor vehicles. 
(b) ADOPTION BY RULEMAKING.—Within 1 year fol-
lowing the development and evaluation carried out under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall initiate a rulemaking 
proceeding for the adoption of an anthropomorphic test 
device as developed under subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATION OF LAP AND 
SHOULDER BELTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 24 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
complete a rulemaking proceeding to amend Federal 
motor vehicle safety standard No. 208 under section 
571.208 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, relating 
to occupant crash protection, in order to— 
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SEC. 6. EVALUATION OF INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SYS-
TEMS. 
(a) EVALUATION.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate 
an evaluation of integrated or built-in child restraints and 
booster seats. The evaluation should include— 
(1) the safety of the child restraint and correct-
ness of fit for the child; 
(2) the availability of testing data on the sys-
tem and vehicle in which the child restraint will be 
used; 
(3) the compatibility of the child restraint with 
different makes and models; 
(4) the cost-effectiveness of mass production of 
the child restraint for consumers; 
(5) the ease of use and relative availability of 
the child restraint to children riding in motor vehi-
cles; and 
(6) the benefits of built-in seats for improving 
compliance with State child occupant restraint laws. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 12 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report of this 
evaluation. 
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SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 
As used in this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) CHILD RESTRAINT.—The term ‘‘child re-
straint’’ means any product designed to provide re-
straint to a child (including booster seats and other 
products used with a lap and shoulder belt assem-
bly) that meets applicable Federal motor vehicle 
safety standards prescribed by the National High-
way Traffic Safety Administration. 
(2) PRODUCTION YEAR.—The term ‘‘production 
year’’ means the 12-month period between Sep-
tember 1 of a year and August 31 of the following 
year. 
(3) PASSENGER
MOTOR
VEHICLE.—The term 
‘‘passenger motor vehicle’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 405(f)(5) of title 23, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated $5,000,000 to the Secretary of Transportation 
for— 
(1) the evaluation required by Section 6 of this 
Act; and 
(2) research of the nature and causes of injury 
to children involved in motor vehicle crashes. 
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(b) LIMITATION.—Funds appropriated under sub-
section (a) shall not be available for the general adminis-
trative expenses of the Secretary. 
Passed the House of Representatives November 15 
(legislative day, November 14), 2002. 
Attest: 
JEFF TRANDAHL, 
Clerk. 
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