Wisdoma

The Nanny Government in California is proposing to limit children under 13 from riding in the front seat of a car, and requiring kids under 8 or 4 feet 9 inches from riding in a booster seat. Currently, kids under 6 and 60 pounds must ride in the car seat.

As any parent knows, it is difficult enough now to keep in a 6 year in a baby seat. Reported in various sources is the fact that hardly anyone now complies with the law for children who are not infants. Why? Because parents have the best judgment about the situation and know this law is not workable.

But there is another issue, as the legislature spends countless hours on this issue: more bureaucracy. Just check out the proposed law for the punishment and allocation of fines:

Section 27360.6 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
27360.6. (a) (1) For a conviction under Section 27360, 27360.1,
or 27360.5, a first offense is punishable by a fine of one hundred
dollars ($100), except that the court may reduce or waive the fine if
the defendant establishes to the satisfaction of the court that he
or she is economically disadvantaged, and the court, instead, refers
the defendant to a community education program that includes, but is
not limited to, education on the proper installation and use of a
child passenger restraint system for children of all ages, and
provides certification to the court of completion of that program.
Upon completion of the program, the defendant shall provide proof of
participation in the program. If an education program on the proper
installation and use of a child passenger restraint system is not
available within 50 miles of the residence of the defendant, the
requirement to participate in that program shall be waived. If the
fine is paid, waived, or reduced, the court shall report the
conviction to the department pursuant to Section 1803.
(2) The court may require a defendant described under paragraph
(1) to attend an education program that includes demonstration of
proper installation and use of a child passenger restraint system and
provides certification to the court that the defendant has presented
for inspection a child passenger restraint system that meets
applicable federal safety standards.
(b) (1) A second or subsequent conviction of the same section is
punishable by a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250), no part of
which may be waived by the court, except that the court may reduce or
waive the fine if the defendant establishes to the satisfaction of
the court that he or she is economically disadvantaged, and the
court, instead refers the defendant to a community education program
that includes, but is not limited to, education on the proper
installation and use of child passenger restraint systems for
children of all ages, and provides certification to the court of
completion of that program. Upon completion of the program, the
defendant shall provide proof of participation in the program. If an
education program on the proper installation and use of a child
passenger restraint system is not available within 50 miles of the
residence of the defendant, the requirement to participate in that
program shall be waived. If the fine is paid, waived, or reduced, the
court shall report the conviction to the department pursuant to
Section 1803.
(2) The court may require a defendant described under paragraph
(1) to attend an education program that includes demonstration of
proper installation and use of a child passenger restraint system and
provides certification to the court that the defendant has presented
for inspection a child passenger restraint system that meets
applicable federal safety standards.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the fines
collected under this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1) (A) Sixty percent to health departments of local jurisdictions
where the violation occurred, to be used for a community education
program that includes, but is not limited to, demonstration of the
installation of a child passenger restraint
system for children of all ages and also
assists an economically disadvantaged family in obtaining a restraint
system through a low-cost purchase or loan. The county or city
health department shall designate a coordinator to facilitate the
creation of a special account and to develop a relationship with the
court system to facilitate the transfer of funds to the program. The
county or city may contract for the implementation of the program.
Prior to obtaining possession of a child passenger restraint system
pursuant to this section, a person shall attend an education program
that includes demonstration of proper installation and use of a child
passenger restraint system.
(B) As the proceeds from fines become available, county or city
health departments shall prepare and maintain a listing of all child
passenger restraint low-cost purchase or loaner programs in their
counties, including a semiannual verification that all programs
listed are in existence. Each county or city shall forward the
listing to the Office of Traffic Safety in the Business,
Transportation and Housing Agency and the courts, birthing centers,
community child health and disability prevention programs, county
clinics, prenatal clinics, women, infants, and children programs, and
county hospitals in that county, who shall make the listing
available to the public. The Office of Traffic Safety shall maintain
a listing of all of the programs in the state.
(2) Twenty-five percent to the county or city for the
administration of the program.
(3) Fifteen percent to the city, to be deposited in its general
fund except that, if the violation occurred in an unincorporated
area, this amount shall be allocated to the county for purposes of
paragraph (1).