SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1095        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1822

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act prohibiting the leaving of an unattended child in a motor vehicle..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 7CC the following section: -

Section 7DD.  (a) For the purposes of this section an unattended child shall be a child who is not accompanied by another person who is at least 14 years of age.

(b)A person responsible for a child who is 8 years of age or younger shall not leave said child in a motor vehicle without being supervised by a person who is at least 14 years of age if:

(A) the conditions present a risk to the health or safety of the child, or

(B) the engine of the motor vehicle is running or the keys to the motor vehicle are any anywhere in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

(c ) A violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $200 for the first offense and a fine of not less than $500 for a second or subsequent offense.