Senate passes child passenger restraint bill
The Senate today (March 23) passed a child passenger restraint bill that requires children under the age of eight or under four foot, nine inches tall, to be restrained in vehicles in booster seats.
In committee testimony, witnesses argued that seat belts alone fail to protect small children in crashes.
The bill, carried in the Senate by Sen. Jim Carlson, DFL-Eagan, passed on a 41 to 22 vote. Carlson described it as “very permissive,” saying that drivers ticketed $50 for failing to properly restrain small children could get the fine thrown out if they brought proof that they had obtain a booster seat.
Minnesota is one of the last states in the Union not to adopt the child restraint law, said Carlson.
But opposition to the bill came from conservative Republicans and Greater Minnesota Democrats. Sen. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake, said the state couldn’t afford to keep throwing people in jail.
Sen Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, said voters in recent town hall meetings he had held gave him a strong message.
“People overwhelmingly told me, ‘Enough with the laws!’” said Koering.
“This is bordering on the ridiculous,” he said.
But Carlson’s bill passed.
Local lawmakers voting in favor were: Betzold, Carlson, Doll, Erickson Ropes, Foley, Jungbauer, Olseen, and Rummel.
Voting against: Fobbe, Gerlach, Johnson, Koch, Koering, Limmer, Metzen, Pariseau, Robling, and Vandeveer.
The booster seat bill in the House has yet to hit the House floor.
