LRB-2952/1
ARG:wlj:jf
2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE
September 29, 2011 - Introduced by Representatives Endsley, LeMahieu, Kestell,
Honadel
and Spanbauer, cosponsored by Senators Grothman, Taylor, Lassa
and Moulton. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AB293,1,2 1An Act to amend 347.48 (4) (as) 2., 347.48 (4) (as) 3. and 347.48 (4) (as) 4. of the
2statutes; relating to: the use of child restraint systems in motor vehicles.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, with certain exceptions, no child under the age of eight years
may be transported in a motor vehicle unless the child is properly restrained in a
child safety restraint system (car seat) or booster seat or by a safety belt (seat belt).
The type of restraint system required depends on the age and size of the child, with
more protective systems required for younger or smaller children and less protective
systems required for older or larger children. A child who is:
1. Less than one year old or who weighs less than 20 pounds must be properly
restrained in a rear-facing car seat in the back seat of the vehicle if the vehicle is
equipped with a back seat.
2. At least one year old and weighs at least 20 pounds but is less than four years
old or weighs less than 40 pounds must be properly restrained in a forward-facing
car seat in the back seat of the vehicle if the vehicle is equipped with a back seat.
3. At least four years old but less than eight years old, weighs between 40 and
80 pounds, and is no more than four feet nine inches tall must be properly restrained
in a booster seat.
4. Under the age of eight and exceeds the weight or height limits specified in
item 3, above, must be properly restrained by a seat belt.
If a child, because of age, weight, or height, falls into more than one of these
categories, the child must be transported according to the requirements of the more
protective category.

This bill clarifies that a child may be transported in a more protective category
of restraint system than the minimum type of restraint system otherwise required.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB293, s. 1 1Section 1. 347.48 (4) (as) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB293,2,72 347.48 (4) (as) 2. Subject to subd. 1., if the child is at least one year old and
3weighs at least 20 pounds but is less than 4 years old or weighs less than 40 pounds,
4the child shall be properly restrained as provided in subd. 1. or properly restrained
5in a forward-facing child safety restraint system, positioned at a designated seating
6position in a back passenger seat of the vehicle if the vehicle is equipped with a back
7passenger seat.
AB293, s. 2 8Section 2. 347.48 (4) (as) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB293,2,129 347.48 (4) (as) 3. Subject to subds. 1. and 2., if the child is at least 4 years old
10but less than 8 years old, weighs at least 40 pounds but not more than 80 pounds, and
11is not more than 57 inches in height, the child shall be properly restrained as
12provided in subd. 2. or
properly restrained in a child booster seat.
AB293, s. 3 13Section 3. 347.48 (4) (as) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB293,2,1614 347.48 (4) (as) 4. Subject to subds. 1. to 3., if the child is less than 8 years old,
15the child shall be properly restrained as provided in subds. 1. to 3. or properly
16restrained in a safety belt approved by the department under sub. (2).
AB293,2,1717 (End)
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