[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 980 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 980
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To provide for the improvement of the safety of child restraints in
passenger motor vehicles, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Anton's Law''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT OF SAFETY OF CHILD RESTRAINTS IN PASSENGER MOTOR
VEHICLES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall initiate a
rulemaking proceeding to establish performance requirements for child
restraints, including booster seats, for the restraint of children
weighing more than 50 pounds.
(b) Elements for Consideration.--In the rulemaking proceeding
required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
(1) consider whether to include injury performance criteria
for child restraints, including booster seats and other
products for use in passenger motor vehicles for the restraint
of children weighing more than 40 pounds, under the
requirements established in the rulemaking proceeding;
(2) consider whether to establish performance requirements
for seat belt fit when used with booster seats and other belt
guidance devices;
(3) consider whether to develop a solution for children
weighing more than 40 pounds who only have access to seating
positions with lap belts, such as allowing tethered child
restraints for such children; and
(4) review the definition of the term ``booster seat'' in
Federal motor vehicle safety standard No. 213 under section
571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulation, to determine
if it is sufficiently comprehensive.
(c) Completion.--The Secretary shall complete the rulemaking
proceeding required by subsection (a) not later than 30 months after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT OF CRASH TEST DUMMY SIMULATING A 10-YEAR
OLD CHILD.
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the U.S. House
of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce a report on the
current schedule and status of activities of the Department of
Transportation to develop, evaluate, and certify a commercially
available dummy that simulates a 10-year old child for use in testing
the effectiveness of child restraints used in passenger motor vehicles.
SEC. 4. REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATION OF LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 24 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall complete a
rulemaking proceeding to amend Federal motor vehicle safety standard
No. 208 under section 571.208 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations,
relating to occupant crash protection, in order to--
(1) require a lap and shoulder belt assembly for each rear
designated seating position in a passenger motor vehicle with a
gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, except
that if the Secretary determines that installation of a lap and
shoulder belt assembly is not practicable for a particular
designated seating position in a particular type of passenger
motor vehicle, the Secretary may exclude the designated seating
position from the requirement; and
(2) apply that requirement to passenger motor vehicles in
phases in accordance with subsection (b).
(b) Implementation Schedule.--The requirement prescribed under
subsection (a)(1) shall be implemented in phases on a production year
basis beginning with the production year that begins not later than 12
months after the end of the year in which the regulations are
prescribed under subsection (a). The final rule shall apply to all
passenger motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000
pounds or less that are manufactured in the third production year of
the implementation phase-in under the schedule.
(c) Report on Determination To Exclude.--
(1) Requirement.--If the Secretary determines under
subsection (a)(1) that installation of a lap and shoulder belt
assembly is not practicable for a particular designated seating
position in a particular type of motor vehicle, the Secretary
shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the U.S. House of
Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce a report
specifying the reasons for the determination.
(2) Deadline.--The report under paragraph (1) shall be
submitted, if at all, not later than 30 days after the date on
which the Secretary issues a final rule under subsection (a).
SEC. 5. TWO-YEAR EXTENSION OF CHILD PASSENGER PROTECTION EDUCATION
GRANTS PROGRAM.
Section 2003(b)(7) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century (23 U.S.C. 405 note; 112 Stat. 328) is amended by striking
``and 2001.'' and inserting ``through 2003.''
SEC. 6. GRANTS FOR IMPROVING CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 412. Grant program for improving child passenger safety programs
``(a) Standards and Requirements Regarding Child Restraint Laws.--
Not later than October 1, 2002, the Secretary shall establish
appropriate criteria applicable to child restraint laws for purposes of
eligibility for grants under this section. The criteria shall be
consistent with the provisions of Anton's Law.
``(b) Requirement To Make Grants.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall make a grant to each
State and Indian tribe that, as determined by the Secretary,
has a child restraint law in effect on September 30, 2004.
``(2) Limitation on number of grants.--Not more than one
grant may be made to a State or Indian tribe under this
section.
``(3) Commencement.--The requirement in paragraph (1) shall
commence on October 1, 2004.
``(c) Grant Amount.--The amount of the grant to a State or Indian
tribe under this section shall be the amount equal to five times the
amount provided to the State or Indian tribe, as the case may be, under
section 2003(b)(7) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century (23 U.S.C. 405 note) in fiscal year 2003.
``(d) Use of Grant Amounts.--
``(1) In general.--A State or Indian tribe shall use any
amount received by the State or Indian tribe, as the case may
be, under this section to carry out child passenger protection
programs for children under the age of 16 years, including
programs for purposes as follows:
``(A) To educate the public concerning the proper
use and installation of child restraints, including
booster seats.
``(B) To train and retain child passenger safety
professionals, police officers, fire and emergency
medical personnel, and educators concerning all aspects
of the use of child restraints.
``(C) To provide child restraint systems, including
booster seats and the hardware needed for their proper
installation, to families that cannot otherwise afford
such systems.
``(D) To support enforcement of the child restraint
law concerned.
``(2) Limitation on federal share.--The Federal share of
the cost of a program under paragraph (1) that is carried out
using amounts from a grant under this section may not exceed 80
percent of the cost of the program.
``(e) Administrative Expenses.--The amount of administrative
expenses under this section in any fiscal year may not exceed the
amount equal to five percent of the amount available for making grants
under this section in the fiscal year.
``(f) Applicability of Chapter 1.--The provisions of section 402(d)
of this title shall apply to funds authorized to be appropriated to
make grants under this section as if such funds were highway safety
funds authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 402 of this
title.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Child restraint law.--The term `child restraint law'
means a law that--
``(A) satisfies standards established by the
Secretary under Anton's Law for the proper restraint of
children who are over the age of 3 years or who weigh
at least 40 pounds;
``(B) prescribes a penalty for operating a
passenger motor vehicle in which any occupant of the
vehicle who is under the age of 16 years is not
properly restrained in an appropriate restraint system
(including seat belts, booster seats used in
combination with seat belts, or other child
restraints); and
``(C) meets any criteria established by the
Secretary under subsection (a) for purposes of this
section.
``(2) Passenger motor vehicle.--The term `passenger motor
vehicle' has the meaning given that term in section 405(f)(5)
of this title.
``(3) State.--The term `State' has the meaning given in
section 101 of this title and includes any Territory or
possession of the United States.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
that chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
411 the following new item:
``412. Grant program for improving child passenger safety programs.''.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Child restraint.--The term ``child restraint'' means
any product designed to provide restraint to a child (including
booster seats and other products used with a lap and shoulder
belt assembly) that meets applicable Federal motor vehicle
safety standards prescribed by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration.
(2) Production year.--The term ``production year'' means
the 12-month period between September 1 of a year and August 31
of the following year.
(3) Passenger motor vehicle.--The term ``passenger motor
vehicle'' has the meaning given that term in section 405(f)(5)
of title 23, United States Code.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
Transportation such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act,
including the making of grants under section 412 of title 23, United
States Code, as added by section 6.
Passed the Senate February 25, 2002.
Attest:
Secretary.
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 980
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To provide for the improvement of the safety of child restraints in
passenger motor vehicles, and for other purposes.