LD 1867
pg. 1
LD 1867 Title Page An Act to Ensure the Safety of Maine Children While Riding in a Vehicle Page 2 of 2
Download Bill Text
LR 3145
Item 1

 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

 
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2081, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A,
§2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is repealed and the following
enacted in its place:

 
1.__Definitions.__As used in this section, unless the context
indicates otherwise, the following terms have the following
meanings.

 
A.__"Child booster seat" means a child passenger restraint
system that is designed to elevate a child to enable that
child to properly sit in a federally approved lap and
shoulder belt system and that meets the requirements of the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

 
B.__ "Child safety seat" means a child safety seat that
meets the standards described in the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.

 
C.__ "Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards," means the
standards described in__49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part
571, in effect on January 1, 1981, as subsequently amended.

 
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §2081, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A,
§2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

 
2. Children under 4. When a child who is weighs less than 4
years of age 40 pounds is being transported in a motor vehicle
that is required by the United States Department of
Transportation to be equipped with safety seat belts, the
operator must have the child properly secured in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions in a child safety seat.

 
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §2081, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1997, c. 450, §1, is
repealed and the following enacted in its place:

 
3.__Passengers less than 18 years of age.__Except as provided
in subsection 2, the following provisions apply to passengers
less than 18 years of age riding in a vehicle that is required by
the United States Department of Transportation to be equipped
with seat belts.

 
A.__The operator shall secure properly a child who weighs at
least 40 pounds but less than 80 pounds and who is less than
8 years of age in a child booster seat.

 
B.__The operator shall secure properly a child who is less than
18 years of age in a seat belt unless that child is required to
be in a child booster seat pursuant to this


LD 1867 Title Page Top of Page Page 2 of 2