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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the offense of failing to secure a child in a child |
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passenger safety seat system. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 545.412(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor |
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punishable by a fine of not more than [$25 for the first offense and
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not more than] $250 [for a second or subsequent offense]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 545.4121(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) It is a defense to prosecution of a first [an] offense to |
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which this section applies that the defendant provides to the court |
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evidence satisfactory to the court that the defendant possesses an |
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appropriate child passenger safety seat system for each child |
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required to be secured in a child passenger safety seat system under |
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Section 545.412(a). The defense does not apply if, at the time of |
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the offense, the motor vehicle is involved in an accident. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |