25mar03... 0823h

05/08/03 1395s

2003 SESSION

03-0398

03/01

HOUSE BILL 402

COMMITTEE: Transportation

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill makes the child passenger restraint requirement apply to a passenger less than 6 years of age and less than 55 inches in height. The requirement currently applies to persons less than 4 years of age.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

25mar03... 0823h

05/08/03 1395s

03-0398

03/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

55:1 Child Passenger Restraints Required. Amend RSA 265:107-a, I to read as follows:

I. No person shall drive a motor vehicle on any way while carrying as a passenger a person less than 18 years of age unless such person is wearing a seat or safety belt which is properly adjusted and fastened [or,]. If the [person] passenger is less than [4] 6 years of age and is less than 55 inches in height, [unless such person is] the passenger shall be properly fastened and secured by a child passenger restraint which is in accordance with the safety standards approved by the United States Department of Transportation in 49 C.F.R. section 571.213. Except as provided in paragraph II, no person shall drive a motor vehicle on any way while carrying as a passenger a person less than 18 years of age unless the motor vehicle was designed for and equipped with the passenger restraints specified above.

55:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2004.

(Approved: May 20, 2003)

(Effective Date: January 1, 2004)