By Van de Putte S.B. No. 1367
77R9127 JAT-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the transportation of an unsecured child in a motor
1-3 vehicle.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 545.412(a), Transportation Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (a) A person commits an offense if the person operates a
1-8 passenger car or light truck and[:]
1-9 [(1)] transports a child who weighs 60 pounds or less
1-10 [younger than two years of age] and does not keep the child secured
1-11 during the operation of the vehicle in a child passenger safety
1-12 seat system according to the instructions of the manufacturer of
1-13 the safety seat system[; or]
1-14 [(2) transports a child who is at least two years of
1-15 age but younger than four years of age and does not keep the child
1-16 secured during the operation of the vehicle:]
1-17 [(A) in a child passenger safety seat system
1-18 according to the instructions of the manufacturer of the safety
1-19 seat system; or]
1-20 [(B) by a safety belt].
1-21 SECTION 2. Section 545.413(b), Transportation Code, is
1-22 amended to read as follows:
1-23 (b) A person commits an offense if the person:
1-24 (1) operates a passenger car or light truck that is
2-1 equipped with safety belts; and
2-2 (2) allows a child who is [at least four years of age
2-3 but] younger than 15 years of age and who weighs more than 60
2-4 pounds to ride in the vehicle without requiring the child to be
2-5 secured by a safety belt, provided the child is occupying a seat
2-6 that is equipped with a safety belt.
2-7 SECTION 3. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
2-8 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this
2-9 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before
2-10 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs
2-11 before that date.
2-12 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this
2-13 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
2-14 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-15 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.