Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Child Safety Transport topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate narrows pickup‑truck child‑transport ban for rural/parade use; broader limit fails
Summary
Lawmakers adopted a rural‑area amendment allowing children to ride unrestrained in pickup beds at 25 mph or less under specified conditions but rejected a broader amendment that would have required restraints in all motor vehicles; final floor tally put SB 113 on the third‑reading calendar.
The Senate took up Senate Bill 113, a safety measure restricting the unrestrained transport of children in open pickup truck beds and cargo areas. Sponsors framed the bill as an effort to reduce severe injuries and fatalities among children riding unsecured.
Senator Robert C. Steiner circulated and successfully moved a targeted amendment that created a rural exception: unrestrained transport in an open cargo area is permitted when the vehicle is traveling at 25 miles per hour or less and when flashing lights are used to warn other drivers (language designed for parades, farm work or slow local movement). The amendment was supported by senators who cited rural practices and parade use; opponents said it left a public‑safety gap on highways.
A broader Richards amendment — which would have extended restraint requirements to all motor vehicles and closed additional loopholes — failed after a recorded division. Advocates for the stricter approach pointed to hospital emergency‑room testimony about serious injuries, while opponents cited practical concerns for rural communities and enforcement limits.
Clerk recorded that SB 113 received 18 ayes, 8 nays, 3 absent; the majority will move the bill to the third‑reading calendar.
What’s next: The bill will be considered on third reading. Sponsors and opponents signaled possible further refinement to clarify low‑speed rural exceptions and enforcement mechanics.
