Booster Seat Safety Act
Bill: H.R.5736 | Sponsor: Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja (D-IL)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Booster Seat Safety Act
This bill addresses labeling requirements and testing standards for booster seats used in motor vehicles.
Specifically, the bill requires labels on booster seats to include the minimum recommended age (4 years) and weight (40 pounds) for a child to use the seat. It also requires that a label on a car seat or combination car seat list the maximum weight and height limits of the seat, as well as a recommendation to continue using the seat until the child exceeds the listed limits.
Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) must either establish a minimum height recommendation for booster seats or a method for manufacturers to use to determine a minimum height recommendation. Once the minimum height or method is established, booster seat labels must also contain the minimum height recommendation.
The NHTSA must also establish a standard for side-impact crash tests for booster seats and provide guidelines for creating a testing dummy that approximates a six-year old child for such crash tests.
Further, the NHTSA must study systems for tethering child restraint systems in vehicles and make recommendations about using or modifying tether systems to maximize child safety.

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to revise regulations 
      relating to child restraint systems, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Booster Seat Safety Act''.

SEC. 2. CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS.

    (a) Child Restraint System Labeling.--
            (1) In general.--
                    (A) Revisions required.--Not later than 90 days 
                after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
                Secretary of Transportation shall revise section 
                571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations--
                            (i) in S5.5.2(f), by striking ``13.6 kg'' 
                        and inserting ``18.2 kg''; and
                            (ii) by adding at the end of S5.5.2 the 
                        following:
    ``(o) The packaging for each booster seat shall be permanently 
labeled with the information specified in S5.5.2(g).
    ``(p) On each booster seat, and on the packaging of such booster 
seat, there shall be placed--
            ``(1) a permanent label stating: `For use by children [_] 
        years old or older and who are over [_] pounds.', with respect 
        to which--
                    ``(A) the first bracket is replaced with the 
                minimum age recommended for a user, which may not be an 
                age younger than 4 years old; and
                    ``(B) the second bracket is replaced with the 
                minimum weight recommended for a user, which may not be 
                under 40 pounds; and
            ``(2) a permanent label stating: `Strongly recommended 
        children use this seat only when they reach either the height 
        or weight limit for a child restraint system with internal 
        harness as indicated by the manufacturer.'.
    ``(q) On each child restraint system with internal harness, and on 
the packaging of such child restraint system with internal harness, 
there shall be placed a permanent label stating: `To prevent possible 
injury or death, it is important to delay the transition from a child 
restraint system with internal harness to a booster seat as long as 
possible, until the child reaches the weight or height limit of the 
child restraint system with internal harness as indicated by the 
manufacturer.'.
    ``(r) On each combination car seat, there shall be placed a 
permanent label stating: `Please use this seat with the internal 
harness as long as possible, until your child outgrows the maximum 
weight of [_] or reaches the maximum height of [_]. Once they have 
exceeded such weight or height, this seat can be used as a belt 
positioning booster seat with the vehicle seat belt.', with respect to 
which--
            ``(1) the first bracket is replaced with the maximum weight 
        recommended for an internal harness user, which may not be 
        under 40 pounds; and
            ``(2) the second bracket is replaced with the maximum 
        height recommended for an internal harness user.''.
                    (B) Effective date.--The revisions to section 
                571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, under 
                subparagraph (A) shall take effect not later than 180 
                days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Minimum height labeling requirement for booster 
        seats.--
                    (A) Revisions required.--Not later than 1 year 
                after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
                Secretary of Transportation shall revise section 
                571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, so as 
                to--
                            (i) require the permanent label required by 
                        S5.5.2(p)(1) for a booster seat and the 
                        packaging of such booster seat to state the 
                        minimum height recommended for a user of such 
                        booster seat; and
                            (ii) specify--
                                    (I) the minimum height required to 
                                be stated on such label; or
                                    (II) a method by which a 
                                manufacturer of a booster seat shall 
                                determine the minimum height required 
                                to be stated on such label for such 
                                booster seat.
                    (B) Effective date.--The revisions to section 
                571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, under 
                subparagraph (A) shall take effect on the date that is 
                1 year after the Secretary of Transportation completes 
                such revisions.
    (b) Side-Impact Crash Testing.--
            (1) General standards.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of the enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        issue regulations to establish standards with respect to side-
        impact crash testing for child restraint systems, which--
                    (A) shall include standards for booster seats; and
                    (B) may include the use of the most appropriate 
                test dummy available at the time of such side-impact 
                crash testing.
            (2) Near-side and far-side impact testing.--In issuing 
        regulations under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall 
        include procedures for testing--
                    (A) near-side impacts, in which the child restraint 
                system being tested is positioned on the side of the 
                point of impact; and
                    (B) far-side impacts, in which the child restraint 
                system being tested is positioned on the opposite side 
                of the point of impact.
            (3) Booster seat test devices.--
                    (A) Design.--Not later than 18 months after the 
                date of the enactment of this section, the 
                Administrator shall issue regulations that provide 
                guidelines for a test dummy that approximates a 6-year-
                old child for the purposes of side-impact crash 
                testing.
                    (B) Use.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
                on which the Administrator issues regulations under 
                subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall require that 
                side-impact crash testing for booster seats (for both 
                near-side and far-side impacts) includes the use of a 
                test dummy that meets the guidelines provided under 
                subparagraph (A).
    (c) Tether Systems Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this section, the Administrator shall provide to 
Congress a study of the functionality of tether systems and the 
variability that exists in tether use recommendations by car seat and 
vehicle manufacturers, with recommendations on how such tether systems 
may be used or modified to increase the usage of child restraint 
systems with internal harness to maximize child safety.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety 
        Administration.
            (2) Booster seat.--The term ``booster seat'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 571.213 of title 49, Code of 
        Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment 
        of this section).
            (3) Child restraint system.--The term ``child restraint 
        system'' has the meaning given such term in section 571.213 of 
        title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date 
        of the enactment of this section).
            (4) Child restraint system with internal harness.--The term 
        ``child restraint system with internal harness'' means a child 
        restraint system designed to be used rear-facing or forward-
        facing employing a 5-point harness to position the child in the 
        seat.
            (5) Combination car seat.--The term ``combination car 
        seat''--
                    (A) means any child restraint system designed to be 
                used in a forward-facing position with a 5-point 
                internal harness, where the harness may be removed and 
                the seat utilized as a belt-positioning booster seat; 
                and
                    (B) includes a child restraint system that may be--
                            (i) converted between rear-facing with an 
                        internal harness and forward-facing with an 
                        internal harness; and
                            (ii) commonly referred to as ``3-in-1'' or 
                        ``all-in-1'' seats.
            (6) Test dummy.--The term ``test dummy'' means an 
        anthropomorphic test dummy as such term is used in section 
        571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect 
        on the date of the enactment of this section).
            (7) Tether system.--The term ``tether system'' means a 
        system utilizing a tether anchorage, tether strap, and tether 
        hook (as such terms are defined in section 571.225 of tile 49, 
        Code of Federal Regulations).
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