Oregon booster bill signed by governor!!!

[scatterbunny]

Woohoo! Yesterday Governor Ted Kulongoski signed the new child restraint law, making it mandatory for kids to ride in boosters to age 8 or 4'9" (sucks that it's "or"), and making it mandatory for babies under age 1yr/20# to ride rear-facing.

Mark's co-workers were already complaining about it yesterday. "This is going to affect even small ADULTS who will have to be in a carseat now!" "It means my big 8yo still needs to be in a CARSEAT!" "No, no, they mean CARSEAT, not BOOSTER SEAT!"

Lots of fuss, no understanding.

But you can BET I'll be printing this out for everyone I know, hoping THIS will be the impetus for them to finally protect their kids. Sad that a law has to force that to happen.

Oh, and I love the governor's quote that I bolded and italicized.

Governor signs smoking-ban, child-safety-seat measures

Smoking bill takes effect in 2009, safety bill in July

PETER WONG
Statesman Journal

June 27, 2007

Two bills that Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed Tuesday will directly affect the daily lives of most Oregonians.

Senate Bill 571, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2009, extends the state's indoor-smoking ban to restaurants, bars, taverns, bingo parlors and bowling alleys. Nearly all of these places were exempted from a ban enacted in 2001.

Senate Bill 480, which takes effect July 1, imposes stricter safety regulations for infants and children riding in cars.

"Most things the Legislature does are transactional, but there are some things that end up being transformational," Kulongoski said.

Oregon joins 21 other states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, that have banned smoking in restaurants and bars. Restaurants and bars have time to build outdoor smoking areas if they are more than 10 feet from the nearest doorway.

Supporters said the extended ban on smoking will prevent diseases in more than 35,000 people who work in places where smoking is still allowed.

"If second-hand smoke were any other pollutant, it would have been banned years ago," said Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee that advanced the bill.

Rep. Carolyn Tomei, D-Milwaukie, said her teenage daughter told her the bill will have an effect on generations to come.

"If I have impressed my children, I feel I have done a good job," said Tomei, chairwoman of the House Human Services and Women's Wellness Committee.

Only smoke shops and cigar bars are exempt from the indoor-smoking ban.

The other bill was sponsored by Sen. Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin, and others.

"Child-safety legislation seems to be so easy to do, but it always runs into interesting hurdles in the legislative process," Devlin said.

Children who weigh more than 40 pounds must use booster seats until they reach age 8 or a height of 4 feet, 9 inches. Current law frees them from use of booster seats once they reach age 6 or 60 pounds.

Booster seats help adult lap belts and shoulder belts fit snugly on children.

The new law also requires parents to strap infants younger than 1 year of age and weighing less than 20 pounds into rear-facing child-safety seats. Current law does not require rear-facing seats.

The bill was introduced at the behest of the Safe Kids Committee.

"They are safety professionals doing a great job," said Jeff Merrick, a Lake Oswego lawyer who is assisting the group, and who attended the bill-signing. "They have a lot more ideas I hope you will see in the next Legislature."

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps...706270440/1042

[mimieliza]

YAY Oregon! I've already heard people complaining about this, unfortunately, even a friend of mine. I just do not get that attitude.

[scatterbunny]

Me, either! I don't understand demoting a child in safety based on age or perceived maturity. It's all about protecting them from the NUMBER ONE KILLER of our kids, and not moving them out of protective restraints until it's necessary to do so.

[cpsaddict]

I was SO excited to hear this yesterday! Then I was listening to the radio and one of the talk shows was complaining about it. "I've had several soccer moms email me about having to have boosters for a van load of kids" or something to that effect. I was just shocked that people could be so ignorant. It's not like a tax or something. It saves LIVES!

[Morganthe]

YAY OREGON!!

I don't get the fuss about mandatory child safety laws. If you're an informed and concientious parent, you'll already be doing this. If not, well, you'll learn that in this matter, you have not kept your child as safe as possible. It's a win-win situation for the kids

I never realized that Oregon didn't have the indoor nonsmoking ban in place already. I guess all those escapees from WA & CA bans decades ago have been fighting against it tooth and nail Yay for all the workers who are exposed to the smoke + all those cleaning bills saved from smelly clothes, yucky curtains and disgusting carpets

[RearFacingAdvocate]

Yeah, Yeah, YEAH! I know a mom here in Oregon that turned her 8 month old FF. WHY oh WHY do they do that? Now, if there was just a way to add to that legislature that 20 lbs and 1 year is the BARE minimum and children are safer riding RF as long as possible, life would be grand. I read an online specs on which seat to buy of the HWH seats that stated if the child is over 1, the FF seat was a good option. No mention of safer practices in longer RF. So many parents don't even have a clue about it. At least boards like this exist to help educate the parents/caregivers. To be honest, I had no clue on the RF vs FF thing as recently as a few years ago.

Stephanie

[scatterbunny]

Stephanie, I see that kind of thing all over the place here--babies FF way too early. I didn't know any better, either. Hayley was FF at 13 months and about 23ish pounds because I didn't know any better, and doctors and everywhere else I thought I should look for carseat info said TURN HER AROUND at a year old. I didn't stumble across this place until she was 2.5 and outgrowing the Alpha Omega by height.

What part of Oregon are you in? If you don't feel comfy answering, PM me.

[Dillipop]

I sent the article to my sister, who lives outside Portland. She was a little amazed that I knew about some Oregon legislative news before she did. She didn't realize that even though I am "set" with seats for the 2 kids that I still visit the forum. Silly sister! Anyway, she made copies to hand to her coworkers and daycare provider, even though a couple of the kids were over 8, because she thinks some are short enough to need boosters. I may never get her as obsessed as me, but she definitely will have her baby in the appropriate seats until she's 4'9"!!!

[Judi]

Just today, at the clinic, we had a FF11 month old, and a 44lbs 4 year old in an AO, with the 5 point harness!

[cpsaddict]

I work at BRU and just last weekend someone came in with a 1 yr old whose birthday was the day before. I told them as much info on rf as I could, but ulitmately they made the choice to get a Summit? I was so bummed. I spouted as many stats as I could think of. Then another one came in with a TINY 20mth old. She has just hit 20lbs and Dad wanted to get her out of the infant seat and into a FF MA. She was so cute and tiny. Sometimes my job sucks. I am SO glad this law is here now. I also get a lot of parents that tell me their child is ready to be out of a seat completely and they point to a 6 yr old. Sigh.....................

Hey, for all you Oregon people, come see me at the Tigard BRU!

[Judi]

I was up that way, but it was your day off!

[cpsaddict]

Originally Posted by Judi

I was up that way, but it was your day off!

Bummer! Yeah, I only work Monday and Tuesday evenings and all day Sunday.

[mimieliza]

Jacky, will you be working at all the weekend following 4th of July (pm me if you don't want to make the info public )? We'll be in town visiting my parents and may purchase a new (used) car - I would love to get a professional opinion on carseat installation, especially if we have any weird issues that can arise with older vehicles. And I want to try out a few convertible seats to see what will fit best.

[scatterbunny]

Jacky, if I've got the gas money I'm going to try to make it over there the Sunday after the 4th.

[cpsaddict]

I will be there for sure Sunday after the 4th. Jenny, that would be so cool.

To the poster before Jenny(*blushing* can't remember your name), I will be there, but I am not technically certified at the moment. I'm waiting for a recert class in the fall. I do keep up with most everything in the CPS world. This is my second home! However, I would be glad to give my opinion on convertible seats. We should have the new Triumph! I could also run out to your car and give my opinion on my break or something. I am there usually from open to close, 11(sometimes 11:30)to 7. Breaks are usually around 1:30, 3:30 and 5:30.