SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1040        FILED ON: 1/15/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John J. Cronin

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to enhance child passenger safety.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1040        FILED ON: 1/15/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1524 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act to enhance child passenger safety.

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. Section 7AA of Chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph, the following paragraph:- 

The child passenger restraint shall be approved by the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and must be properly fastened and secured according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A child who is younger than two years of age must be restrained in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system with an internal harness, until the child reaches the manufacturer’s height or weight limit of the child passenger restraint system.  A child who is at least two years of age must be restrained in either a rear-facing child passenger restraint system with an internal harness, or a forward-facing child passenger restraint system with an internal harness, until the child reaches the height or weight limit of the child passenger restraint system.