[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5736 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5736
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to revise regulations
relating to child restraint systems, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 26, 2021
Mr. Krishnamoorthi (for himself and Ms. Porter) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to revise regulations
relating to child restraint systems, 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 ``Booster Seat Safety Act''.
SEC. 2. CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS.
(a) Child Restraint System Labeling.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Revisions required.--Not later than 90 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Transportation shall revise section
571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations--
(i) in S5.5.2(f), by striking ``13.6 kg''
and inserting ``18.2 kg''; and
(ii) by adding at the end of S5.5.2 the
following:
``(o) The packaging for each booster seat shall be permanently
labeled with the information specified in S5.5.2(g).
``(p) On each booster seat, and on the packaging of such booster
seat, there shall be placed--
``(1) a permanent label stating: `For use by children [_]
years old or older and who are over [_] pounds.', with respect
to which--
``(A) the first bracket is replaced with the
minimum age recommended for a user, which may not be an
age younger than 4 years old; and
``(B) the second bracket is replaced with the
minimum weight recommended for a user, which may not be
under 40 pounds; and
``(2) a permanent label stating: `Strongly recommended
children use this seat only when they reach either the height
or weight limit for a child restraint system with internal
harness as indicated by the manufacturer.'.
``(q) On each child restraint system with internal harness, and on
the packaging of such child restraint system with internal harness,
there shall be placed a permanent label stating: `To prevent possible
injury or death, it is important to delay the transition from a child
restraint system with internal harness to a booster seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the weight or height limit of the
child restraint system with internal harness as indicated by the
manufacturer.'.
``(r) On each combination car seat, there shall be placed a
permanent label stating: `Please use this seat with the internal
harness as long as possible, until your child outgrows the maximum
weight of [_] or reaches the maximum height of [_]. Once they have
exceeded such weight or height, this seat can be used as a belt
positioning booster seat with the vehicle seat belt.', with respect to
which--
``(1) the first bracket is replaced with the maximum weight
recommended for an internal harness user, which may not be
under 40 pounds; and
``(2) the second bracket is replaced with the maximum
height recommended for an internal harness user.''.
(B) Effective date.--The revisions to section
571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, under
subparagraph (A) shall take effect not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Minimum height labeling requirement for booster
seats.--
(A) Revisions required.--Not later than 1 year
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Transportation shall revise section
571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, so as
to--
(i) require the permanent label required by
S5.5.2(p)(1) for a booster seat and the
packaging of such booster seat to state the
minimum height recommended for a user of such
booster seat; and
(ii) specify--
(I) the minimum height required to
be stated on such label; or
(II) a method by which a
manufacturer of a booster seat shall
determine the minimum height required
to be stated on such label for such
booster seat.
(B) Effective date.--The revisions to section
571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, under
subparagraph (A) shall take effect on the date that is
1 year after the Secretary of Transportation completes
such revisions.
(b) Side-Impact Crash Testing.--
(1) General standards.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Administrator shall
issue regulations to establish standards with respect to side-
impact crash testing for child restraint systems, which--
(A) shall include standards for booster seats; and
(B) may include the use of the most appropriate
test dummy available at the time of such side-impact
crash testing.
(2) Near-side and far-side impact testing.--In issuing
regulations under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall
include procedures for testing--
(A) near-side impacts, in which the child restraint
system being tested is positioned on the side of the
point of impact; and
(B) far-side impacts, in which the child restraint
system being tested is positioned on the opposite side
of the point of impact.
(3) Booster seat test devices.--
(A) Design.--Not later than 18 months after the
date of the enactment of this section, the
Administrator shall issue regulations that provide
guidelines for a test dummy that approximates a 6-year-
old child for the purposes of side-impact crash
testing.
(B) Use.--Not later than 18 months after the date
on which the Administrator issues regulations under
subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall require that
side-impact crash testing for booster seats (for both
near-side and far-side impacts) includes the use of a
test dummy that meets the guidelines provided under
subparagraph (A).
(c) Tether Systems Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Administrator shall provide to
Congress a study of the functionality of tether systems and the
variability that exists in tether use recommendations by car seat and
vehicle manufacturers, with recommendations on how such tether systems
may be used or modified to increase the usage of child restraint
systems with internal harness to maximize child safety.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.
(2) Booster seat.--The term ``booster seat'' has the
meaning given such term in section 571.213 of title 49, Code of
Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment
of this section).
(3) Child restraint system.--The term ``child restraint
system'' has the meaning given such term in section 571.213 of
title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date
of the enactment of this section).
(4) Child restraint system with internal harness.--The term
``child restraint system with internal harness'' means a child
restraint system designed to be used rear-facing or forward-
facing employing a 5-point harness to position the child in the
seat.
(5) Combination car seat.--The term ``combination car
seat''--
(A) means any child restraint system designed to be
used in a forward-facing position with a 5-point
internal harness, where the harness may be removed and
the seat utilized as a belt-positioning booster seat;
and
(B) includes a child restraint system that may be--
(i) converted between rear-facing with an
internal harness and forward-facing with an
internal harness; and
(ii) commonly referred to as ``3-in-1'' or
``all-in-1'' seats.
(6) Test dummy.--The term ``test dummy'' means an
anthropomorphic test dummy as such term is used in section
571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect
on the date of the enactment of this section).
(7) Tether system.--The term ``tether system'' means a
system utilizing a tether anchorage, tether strap, and tether
hook (as such terms are defined in section 571.225 of tile 49,
Code of Federal Regulations).
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