I 
107TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5504
To provide for the improvement of the safety of child restraints in passenger 
motor vehicles, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 1, 2002
Mr. SHIMKUS (for himself, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. WALDEN, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. 
TERRY, Mrs. BONO, and Mr. BARTON of Texas) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
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 the ‘‘Child Safety Enhance-
ment Act of 2002’’. 
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-
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. 
(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—
(1) require a lap and shoulder belt assembly for 
each rear designated seating position in a passenger 
motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 
10,000 pounds or less, except that if the Secretary 
determines that installation of a lap and shoulder
belt assembly is not practicable for a particular des-
ignated seating position in a particular type of pas-
senger motor vehicle, the Secretary may exclude the 
designated seating position from the requirement; 
and 
(2) apply that requirement to passenger motor 
vehicles in phases in accordance with subsection (b). 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE.—The requirement 
prescribed under subsection (a)(1) shall be implemented 
in phases on a production year basis beginning with the 
production year that begins not later than 12 months after 
the end of the year in which the regulations are prescribed 
under subsection (a). The final rule shall apply to all pas-
senger motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating 
of 10,000 pounds or less that are manufactured in the 
third production year of the implementation phase-in 
under the schedule. 
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;