BILL NUMBER: AB 2667 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 18, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 15, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 28, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 6, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 8, 2010
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Hill
FEBRUARY 19, 2010
An act to amend Section 27363.5 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2667, as amended, Hill. Vehicles: child passenger restraint
systems.
(1) Existing law requires a public or private hospital, clinic, or
birthing center, at the time of discharge of a child who is less
than 6 years of age or who weighs less than 60 pounds, to provide and
discuss information on the current law requiring child passenger
restraint systems with the parents or the person to whom the child is
released.
This bill would additionally require a public or private hospital,
clinic, or birthing center, at the time the child is discharged, to
provide and discuss information on where, and at
no cost, the child passenger restraint system can be inspected and
proper installation instruction can be given, by providing
appropriate contact information contact information
relating to obtaining, at no cost or low cost, information and
assistance relating to child passenger restraint system requirements,
installation, and inspection , including, among other things,
the telephone number of the local office of the Department of the
California Highway Patrol. The bill would provide that a public
or private hospital, clinic, or birthing center does not have any
additional obl igation to provide patients with any
assistance relating to child passenger restraint systems, other than
providing the information specified. Because this bill would
expand an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated
local program.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of
children 3 to 14 years of age.
(b) Many of these deaths can be prevented through the proper use
of child safety seats.
(c) According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA), child safety seats can reduce fatal injury by
71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers 1 to 4 years
of age.
(d) Unfortunately, according to a recent study, over 90 percent of
parents and caregivers believe their child safety seats are
installed correctly, but NHTSA research shows that seven out of 10
children are improperly restrained, putting them at risk for serious
injury or death in a crash.
SEC. 2. Section 27363.5 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
27363.5. (a) A public or private hospital, clinic, or birthing
center shall, at the time of the discharge of a child, provide to and
discuss with the parent or person to whom the child is released, the
following:
(1) Information on the current law requiring child passenger
restraint systems.
(2) Information on where, and at no cost, the child passenger
restraint system can be inspected and proper installation instruction
can be given, by providing appropriate contact information. This
(2) Contact information to direct the
person to an Internet Web site or other contact that could provide,
at no cost or low cost, information and assistance relating to child
passenger restraint system requirements, in stallation,
and inspection. Pursuant to this paragraph, the hospital, clinic, or
birthing center does not have any additional obligation to provide
patients with any assistance relating to child passenger restraint
systems, other than providing the contact information as set forth in
this paragraph. This contact information may include
, but is not limited to, the following:
(A) Call 1-866-SEAT-CHECK or visit www.seatcheck.org to find a
nearby location.
(B) The telephone number of the local office of the Department of
the California Highway Patrol.
(C) The Internet Web site for the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration's Child Safety Seat Inspection Station Locator.
(D) The Internet Web site for the State Department of Public
Health's child passenger restraint system safety inspection locator.
(b) Subdivision (a) applies when at least one of the following
conditions is met:
(1) The child is less than six years of age.
(2) The child weighs less than 60 pounds.
(c) 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 use a child passenger restraint system.
SEC. 3. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.