By: Naishtat (Senate Sponsor - West) H.B. No. 1741

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 22, 2013; April 22, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services; May 17, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 1; May 17, 2013, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1741 By: West

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring child safety alarms in certain vehicles used by child-care facilities to transport children.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Human Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 42.0424 to read as follows:

Sec. 42.0424. CHILD SAFETY ALARMS IN VEHICLES. (a) In this section, "electronic child safety alarm" means an alarm system that prompts the driver of a vehicle to inspect the vehicle to determine whether children are in the vehicle before the driver exits the vehicle.

(b) A licensed day-care center shall equip each vehicle owned or leased by the facility with an electronic child safety alarm if the vehicle is:

(1) designed to seat eight or more persons; and

(2) used to transport children under the care of the facility.

(c) The licensed day-care center shall ensure that the electronic child safety alarm is properly maintained and used when transporting children.

(d) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.

(e) This section applies only to a vehicle purchased or leased on or after December 31, 2013.

SECTION 2. Section 42.0424, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, applies to a vehicle purchased or leased on or after the effective date of this Act. A vehicle purchased or leased before the effective date of this Act shall comply with the requirements of Section 42.0424, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, not later than December 31, 2014.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect December 31, 2013.

* * * * *