[107th Congress Public Law 318]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
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[DOCID: f:publ318.107]
[[Page 2771]]
ANTON'S LAW
[[Page 116 STAT. 2772]]
Public Law 107-318
107th Congress
An Act
To provide for the improvement of the safety of child restraints in
passenger motor vehicles, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 4,
2002 - [H.R. 5504]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress <<NOTE: Anton's Law. 49 USC 30127
note.>> assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as ``Anton's Law''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) It is the policy of the Department of Transportation
that all child occupants of motor vehicles, regardless of
seating position, be appropriately restrained in order to reduce
the incidence of injuries and fatalities resulting from motor
vehicle crashes on the streets, roads, and highways.
(2) Research has shown that very few children between the
ages of 4 to 8 years old are in the appropriate restraint for
their age when riding in passenger motor vehicles.
(3) Children who have outgrown their child safety seats
should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until an adult
seat belt fits properly.
(4) Children who were properly restrained when riding in
passenger motor vehicles suffered less severe injuries from
accidents than children not properly restrained.
SEC. 3. IMPROVEMENT OF SAFETY OF CHILD RESTRAINTS IN PASSENGER MOTOR
VEHICLES.
(a) In <<NOTE: Regulations.>> General.--The Secretary of
Transportation (hereafter referred to as the ``Secretary'') 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 50 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 address situations where children
weighing more than 50 pounds only have access to seating
[[Page 116 STAT. 2773]]
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 Regulations, to determine
if it is sufficiently comprehensive.
(c) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> 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. <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> 4. DEVELOPMENT OF ANTHROPOMORPHIC TEST DEVICE
SIMULATING A 10-YEAR OLD CHILD.
(a) Development and Evaluation.--Not later than 24 months after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop and
evaluate an anthropomorphic test device that simulates a 10-year old
child for use in testing child restraints used in passenger motor
vehicles.
(b) Adoption by Rulemaking.--Within 1 year following the development
and evaluation carried out under subsection (a), the Secretary shall
initiate a rulemaking proceeding for the adoption of an anthropomorphic
test device as developed under subsection (a).
SEC. <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> 5. 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 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). <<NOTE: Applicability.>> 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.
SEC. <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> 6. EVALUATION OF INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY
SYSTEMS.
(a) Evaluation.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate an evaluation of integrated or
built-in child restraints and booster seats. The evaluation should
include--
(1) the safety of the child restraint and correctness of fit
for the child;
[[Page 116 STAT. 2774]]
(2) the availability of testing data on the system and
vehicle in which the child restraint will be used;
(3) the compatibility of the child restraint with different
makes and models;
(4) the cost-effectiveness of mass production of the child
restraint for consumers;
(5) the ease of use and relative availability of the child
restraint to children riding in motor vehicles; and
(6) the benefits of built-in seats for improving compliance
with State child occupant restraint laws.
(b) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report of this evaluation.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act, the following definitions apply:
(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.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000
to the Secretary of Transportation for--
(1) the evaluation required by section 6 of this Act; and
(2) research of the nature and causes of injury to children
involved in motor vehicle crashes.
[[Page 116 STAT. 2775]]
(b) Limitation.--Funds appropriated under subsection (a) shall not
be available for the general administrative expenses of the Secretary.
Approved December 4, 2002.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 5504 (S. 980):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 107-726 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 107-137 accompanying S. 980 (Comm. on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 148 (2002):
Nov. 14, considered and passed House.
Nov. 18, considered and passed Senate.
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