BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1452 Page 1 Date of Hearing: March 28, 2012 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair AB 1452 (Hill) - As Introduced: January 5, 2012 Policy Committee: TransportationVote:13-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill requires medical facilities to provide additional information to parents relating to child-safety seats. Specifically, this bill: 1)Requires that, in addition to the current-law requirement that the medical facility provide information to parents or guardians concerning child restraint laws at time of discharge of a child who is less than eight years of age, they also provide contact information regarding where child passenger restraint systems can be inspected and proper installation instruction can be given. 2)Specifies that such contact information may include references to 1-866-SEAT-CHECK, www.seatcheck.org, the telephone number of the local office of the Highway Patrol and the website for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Child Safety Seat Inspection Station Locator. 3)States that a public or private hospital, clinic or birthing center shall not be responsible for the failure of the parent or person to whom the child is released to properly transport the child. FISCAL EFFECT 1)Minor costs to hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities (including U.C. and other public facilities) to provide additional information. AB 1452 Page 2 2)Local mandated costs for enforcement are not reimbursable. COMMENTS Rationale . The author intends this bill to increase the proportion of child car seats that are installed correctly. The bill's findings and declarations cite National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research showing that seven out of 10 children are not properly restrained in cars. The author's efforts follow the veto of AB 2667 (Hill, 2010), which was substantially similar to this bill. Gov. Schwarzenegger's veto message called the bill "unnecessary". Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081