Governor Sebelius Signs Booster Seat Law

Governor Kathleen Sebelius was joined today by over 100 children at Susanna Wesley Church and many child advocates as she signed House Bill 2611, the booster seat law for children on March 27. Advocates labored for 6 legislative sessions to create enough support for the bill for passage. While the Senate has long supported the measure, House support was divided. When it became evident that enough support for the bill was assured in the House, many legislators hopped on board. The booster seat bill passed the House on a vote of 94-27 and the Senate on a vote of 36-4. “The booster seat bill could never have been passed without the support of advocates from all over the state who took the time to educated their legislators about the need for an updated child passenger safety law,” said Jan Stegelman, Coordinator, Safe Kids Kansas.

The new law, which takes effect July 1, requires children ages 4, 5, 6 and 7 who either weigh less than 80 lbs. or are shorter than 4'9” in height to be placed in an “appropriate child passenger restraining system” that meets federal guidelines. (Current law requires use of a car seat until age 4 and children age 4 and older to wear adult seat belts)

The new law provides for a one-year warning period (until July 1, 2007) for the booster seat requirement, which will provide public agencies time to educate parents about the importance of booster seats and allow parents time to obtain an appropriate seat.

The new law also provides an exemption for seating positions when there is only a lap safety belt available. Current technology provides fewer products for children needing a booster seat, but whose vehicle has only a lap safety belt available. HB 2611 also increases the fine for violation of the Child Passenger Safety Law from $20 to $60. This change brings the fine in line with other standard traffic violation fines, such as a stop sign violation. However, the bill contains a provision that waives the fine if a driver provides proof to the court of an appropriate child seat/ booster seat acquisition.

“In the last 25 years since the current child passenger safety law was passed, we have learned a lot about protecting children in motor vehicle crashes,” said Stegelman. “We are pleased that parents and caregivers in Kansas can now rely on Kansas law to provide them with the proper guidance on how to safely transport their children.”

"Belt-positioning booster seats help protect children who are too big for child seats but too physically immature to use an adult seat belt. A belt-positioning booster seat raises the child up so that the seat belt fits the child's body. Since children in booster seats use the adult seat belt, no installation of the seat is required. A belt-positioning booster seat not only makes a child safer, but also makes the safety belt fit better and feel better to the child

Booster seats that meet federal safety standards and fit children from 40 to 80 lbs. are readily available for $12-$30 at local retailers around the state . In fact, all currently manufactured combination child safety seats will convert to a belt-positioning booster seat, so in many cases, a new seat is not even needed. Safe Kids Kansas and local community groups will continue to work with retailers to assure that adequate supplies of reasonably priced booster seats are available to Kansas parents. In addition, a special web site educating the public about the new law is in development.