House File 2344 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2344 BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 575) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the use of child restraint devices by 1 certain children traveling in motor vehicles. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5796HV (1) 91 th/ns

H.F. 2344 Section 1. Section 321.446, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2026, 1 are amended to read as follows: 2 1. a. A child under one year of age and weighing less 3 than twenty pounds who is being transported in a motor 4 vehicle subject to registration, except a school bus or 5 motorcycle, shall be secured during transit in a rear-facing 6 child restraint system , that is used in accordance with the 7 manufacturer’s instructions , until the child reaches the age of 8 two or exceeds the manufacturer’s recommended maximum height 9 and weight limits for the system . 10 b. A child under six years of age who does not meet the 11 description in paragraph “a” and who is being transported 12 in a motor vehicle subject to registration, except a school 13 bus or motorcycle, shall be secured during transit by a 14 child restraint system , that is used in accordance with the 15 manufacturer’s instructions , until the child reaches the age of 16 eight . 17 2. A child at least six eight years of age but under 18 eighteen years of age who is being transported in a motor 19 vehicle subject to registration, except a school bus or 20 motorcycle, shall be secured during transit by a child 21 restraint system , that is used in accordance with the 22 manufacturer’s instructions , or by a safety belt or safety 23 harness of a type approved under section 321.445 , until the 24 child reaches the age of eighteen . 25 Sec. 2. Section 321.446, subsection 3, paragraph d, Code 26 2026, is amended by striking the paragraph. 27 EXPLANATION 28 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 29 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 30 This bill relates to the use of child restraint devices by 31 certain children traveling in motor vehicles, including child 32 restraint systems, safety belts, and safety harnesses. 33 Current law requires a child under one year of age and 34 weighing less than 20 pounds who is being transported in a 35 -1- LSB 5796HV (1) 91 th/ns 1/ 2

H.F. 2344 motor vehicle subject to registration, except a school bus 1 or motorcycle, to be secured during transit in a rear-facing 2 child restraint system that is used in accordance with the 3 manufacturer’s instructions. The bill extends this requirement 4 to a child under two years of age or until the child exceeds the 5 manufacturer’s recommended maximum height and weight limits for 6 the child restraint system. 7 Current law also requires a child under six years of age, 8 who is not subject to the above requirement, and who is being 9 transported in a motor vehicle subject to registration, except 10 a school bus or motorcycle, to be secured during transit by 11 a child restraint system that is used in accordance with the 12 manufacturer’s instructions. The bill extends this requirement 13 to children under eight years of age. 14 Accordingly, the bill requires a child at least eight years 15 of age (instead of six) but under 18 years of age who is being 16 transported in a motor vehicle subject to registration, except 17 a school bus or motorcycle, to be secured during transit by 18 a child restraint system that is used in accordance with the 19 manufacturer’s instructions or by an approved safety belt or 20 safety harness. 21 The bill strikes a provision that exempts children occupying 22 the back seat of a motor vehicle from having to be secured 23 during transit by a child restraint system, safety belt, or 24 safety harness if no safety belt is available because all 25 safety belts are being used by other occupants or cannot be 26 used due to the use of a child restraint system in the seating 27 position for which a belt is provided. 28 A violation of Code section 321.446 is punishable by a 29 scheduled fine of $135. The department of transportation is 30 prohibited from considering a violation of Code section 321.446 31 in determining an offender’s driver’s license suspension under 32 Code section 321.210 or habitual offender status under Code 33 section 321.555. 34 -2- LSB 5796HV (1) 91 th/ns 2/ 2