HBA-NRS S.B. 1367 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1367 By: Van de Putte Transportation 5/16/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In 1999, 202 children from birth through age 14 were killed as a result of traffic collisions in Texas, an increase of 27 deaths over 1998. Even though Texas has child occupant restraint laws covering this age group, more than half of the children killed were riding unrestrained. Senate Bill 1367 provides that a person commits an offense if the person transports a child who is younger than 5 years of age and less than 36 inches in height and does not keep the child secured in a child passenger safety seat system, and provides for similar offenses if a child under 15 years of age is transported without being secured in a safety belt. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 1367 amends the Transportation Code to provide that a person commits an offense if the person operates a passenger car or light truck that transports a child who is younger than five years of age and less than 36 inches in height, and does not keep the child secured in a child passenger safety seat system according to the instructions of the manufacturer of the safety seat system. The bill provides that a person commits an offense if the person operates a passenger car or light truck equipped with safety belts and allows a child who is at least five years of age but younger than 15 years of age, or who is younger than five years of age and at least 36 inches in height to ride in the vehicle without being secured by a safety belt, provided that the child is occupying a seat equipped with a safety belt. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.