118 HR 607 IH: Booster Seat Safety Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2023-01-27
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EN
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I
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 607
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 27, 2023
Mr. Krishnamoorthi (for himself, Ms. Porter, Ms. Barragán, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Ms. Castor of Florida, and Ms. Norton) 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.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Booster Seat Safety Act”.
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 title 49, Code of Federal Regulations).