SB79: Bill Text

LRB-1692/1

PEN:skg:km

1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE

1995 Senate BILL 79

February 21, 1995 - Introduced by Senators Plewa, Burke and Chvala, cosponsored by Representatives Plache, Urban, Ryba, Bock, Notestein, Hahn, Baldus, Bell, Morris-Tatum, Robson and Hanson. Referred to Committee on Transportation, Agriculture and Local Affairs.

SB79,1,2 An Act to amend 347.48 (4) (a) 2. and 347.48 (4) (c); and to create 347.48 (4) (e) of the statutes; relating to: child safety seats in taxicabs.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, with certain exceptions, no child under the age of 4 years old may be transported in a motor vehicle unless that child is properly restrained in a child safety restraint system (safety seat), and no child between the ages of 4 and 8 years old may be transported in a motor vehicle unless that child is properly restrained in a safety seat or by a safety belt. These prohibitions against transporting unrestrained children do not apply to taxicabs.

Under this bill, no child under the age of 4 years old may be transported in a taxicab unless that child is properly restrained in a safety seat. Also, the bill prohibits an operator of a taxicab from refusing to transport a child younger than 4 years old solely because that child does not furnish a safety seat. The bill requires an operator of a taxicab business to furnish and install, upon request, a safety seat for each child passenger under 4 years old. An operator of a taxicab or taxicab business who fails to furnish or install the safety seat may be required to forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $200.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB79, s. 1 Section 1. 347.48 (4) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB79,2,4 347.48 (4) (a) 2. No person may transport a child who is at least 4 years old but less than 8 years old in a motor vehicle unless the child is properly restrained in a child safety restraint system approved by the department under subd. 1. or in a safety belt approved by the department under sub. (2). In this subdivision, "properly restrained" means fastened in a manner prescribed by the manufacturer of the system which permits the system to act as a body restraint. This subdivision does not apply to taxicabs.

SB79, s. 2 Section 2. 347.48 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB79,2,8 347.48 (4) (c) This subsection does not apply if the motor vehicle is a motor bus, school bus, taxicab, moped, or motorcycle or is not required to be equipped with safety belts under sub. (1) or 49 CFR 571.

SB79, s. 3 Section 3. 347.48 (4) (e) of the statutes is created to read:

SB79,2,17 347.48 (4) (e) An operator of a taxicab or taxicab business may not refuse to transport a child under the age of 4 years old solely because that child does not furnish a child safety restraint system. An operator of a taxicab business shall furnish within a reasonable time a taxicab equipped with a child safety restraint system when necessary to comply with the requirement of par. (a) 1. A taxicab is not required to maintain a child safety restraint system in the taxicab at all times. No additional fee may be charged for the furnishing, installation or use of a child safety restraint system under this paragraph.

SB79, s. 4 Section 4. Effective date.

SB79,2,20 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 2nd month beginning after publication.

SB79,2,21 (End)