HCS/SCS/SB 710 - This act modifies the passenger seat belt laws and prohibits installation of fraudulent or defective airbags.

CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY - This act requires children less than four years old, regardless of weight, or children weighing less than 40 pounds, regardless of age, to use an appropriate child passenger restraint system. The act requires children four years of age through five years of age to be secured in a child passenger restraint system or a child booster seat. Children six years of age or older must use a safety belt, child restraint system or booster seat. Children weighing more than 40 pounds, who would otherwise be required to be secured in a booster seat, may be transported in the back seat while only wearing a lap belt if the back seat of the motor vehicle is not equipped with a combination lap and shoulder belt for booster seat installation.

A person may escape the $25 penalty by demonstrating that the person obtained a child safety seat prior to or at his or her hearing which is satisfactory to the court or the party responsible for prosecuting the violator's citation. No points will be assessed against a person's driver's license for violating the child restraint provisions of this act. This act has an effective date of January 1, 2005. This portion of the act is substantially similar to SB 9 (2003), SB 647 (2002) and SB 549 (2001).

AIRBAG FRAUD - This act makes it a class D felony to install an airbag that does not comply with federal standards or an airbag which has previously been installed in another motor vehicle without disclosing that fact (section 307.156).

DOR NOTIFICATION - Under this act, whenever Missouri driving statutes are altered, the Department of Revenue must notify Missouri motorists via public service announcements or other mass communication means of said changes before those changes become effective (Section 1).
STEPHEN WITTE