Good news! Update - Michigan Booster Law

[elle7715]

It went on to the Senate! The local paper had a short article on it:

Legislation aims to increase use of child safety seats in vehicles
LANSING (AP) -- More Michigan children would be required to travel in safety car seats under legislation passed Wednesday by the state House. Current Michigan law generally requires children under 4 to ride in a child restraint system, rather than just seat belts alone. The bills passed by the House would broaden the requirements. Children under 4-foot-9 and less than 80 lbs would have to be in a restraint system or booster seat until they turn 8. The main bill in the package passed by a 101-7 vote. The legislation now goes to the Senate. Another bill would require that child restraint systems for the younger children be in the back seat, if the vehicle has a back seat. And the bills would eliminate Michigan's current exemption for a child being nursed. According to a coalition called Safe Kids Michigan, the state has some of the most lenient child safety laws in the nation.

Yay! Let's hope this gets through the Senate and made into law soon! I know the age 8 limit isn't perfect but it's SO much better than what we have now.

[Jeanum]

I was just intending to post something similar. Let's hope it passes in the MI Senate, too.

[scatterbunny]

Woohoo! Hope it passes!

[jeno]

Fingers crossed here too:

Take a look at the article in our paper today. Too bad they couldn't put a more positive swing on it.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/in...380.xml&coll=6

[Avery'sMama]

Yeah! I had called and emailed my representative about this bill! His assistant emailed me back and told me he voted yes Now on to badger my state senator! I've had a couple discussions with angry parents thinking this is ridiculous, etc. It'll be interesting to hear the public reaction should this become law.

[elle7715]

I have to email my senator now too. I'll try to find the email I sent to the HRs.
I can't wait to hear what my ILs say about this. I'm imagining it'll be something alone the lines of "How dare they tell people what to do with their own kids!". I've already got my response planed out, because I'm a dork. "It's also illegal to not feed your kids, is that any of their business? Both things could kill kids. Honestly, what 4-8 year old is going to approach mom or dad and ask for a booster seat to keep them safe. There HAS to be a law."
I'm also glad they're trying to make it so kids can't ride in the front seat. I can't even tell you how many itty bitty kids I've seen buckled in the FRONT seats of cars while the backseat is empty. Sometimes they can't even see out the window!

[BookMama]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23507051/

This passed the Michigan Senate! Could it be true? I assume it doesn't have to go through the house again?

I am so happy about this that I am totally tearing up. And I'm at work. (So pardon me if I've missed other threads on this ... will catch up as soon as I can this evening!)

[elle7715]

Awesome!!!! I honestly thought it died. It does go back to the House but I can't remember the rest of the process. The fact that it went through the Senate is really exciting, since the House already approved it, it *should* go through.

[BookMama]

Oops, you're right about it heading back to the house. (Missed that last paragraph that I had to scroll WAY down to see ... I was literally on my way out the door when I saw the article.)

The house has passed similar bills at least twice, so I would hope they pass it. My understanding is that it was someone in the senate who was holding it up. And I assume that Governor Granholm will sign it if it passes the house.

[Jeanum]

Encouraging news indeed. This seems to be a separate state senate bill 82 in parallel to the one passed by the state house last year, house bill 4536, which seemingly vanishing into transportation committee oblivion in June 2007: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(a4f...e=2007-HB-4536

Here's the status of the newly passed Senate bill 82:
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(a4f...e=2007-SB-0082
Note the current status showing the senate bill was referred to the transportation committee? Ack, I hope this isn't a sign of impending oblivion instead of progression toward a law. We're so overdue for a booster law here (preaching to the Michigan choir, sorry).

[BookMama]

Aw nuts, that dang transportation committee again! I forgot that's where the house bill got hung up ... I thought it was the senate where the previous bills got stuck.

They have GOT to pass this. There are only about three states that have worse car seat laws than Michigan. It's so embarrassing. (Not to mention unsafe, of course.) I have honestly never, ever mentioned the law to a parent.

Jean, do you know who we can contact about this? Anybody on the transportation committee? You always seem to know these things ...

[TerisBoys]

All I can say is...

IT'S ABOUT TIME!

Though my 8yo will be bummed - I'll make him stay in his seat til 4'9" and 80# regardless.

[Jeanum]

Originally Posted by BookMama

Jean, do you know who we can contact about this? Anybody on the transportation committee? You always seem to know these things ...

Oh man, I wish I knew who was who on the committee. There must be someone or someone(s) who throw a wrench in these bills judging by the lack of progress in the past. My former job mostly involved the feds and automakers, lol, and that was years ago. I don't have good gov't contacts any more, other than I've met Rep. Kathy Angerer who sponsored the house booster bill last year. I met her while she was campaigning in 2000 and 2004. Time to ping her with another e-mail and politely inquire about the status and how to encourage the Transportation Committee members. Some of them might be up for re-election, eh?

[elle7715]

Is this where it's going next?
http://house.michigan.gov/committeei...Transportation
Here is everyone on the House transportation committee. It says to contact them about bills they are addressing...

[courtfrog2]

I wish I knew more about the whole process of Government. I missed that lesson in school! On a side note, I have lived here in MI my whole life and today was the first day that I ever went to the capital building in Lansing. We just missed the house in session... that would have been sweet if I could have been there when they were talking about carseats! It's a cool place though... wish I knew more about it. My daughters third grade class is SO smart. They were answering some tough questions today.

Where is everyone from in MI?

[BookMama]

It's got to be public information. Let's see ...

Yep, here's a list of the transportation committee members: http://house.michigan.gov/committeei...Transportation

When I had my CPST class last summer, one of the women in the class had worked for the legislature. When we talked about the state laws in class, she indicated that there was one particular person who was against the child restraint bills, and that the bills would never go through as long as he had any say in the matter.

Wish I knew who it was. Maybe we could call "Ruth to the Rescue" on him! I wonder if a dose of public embarrassment would do the trick.

[BookMama]

Originally Posted by courtfrog2

Where is everyone from in MI?

I'm from Ypsilanti, though I do most of my seat check events in Detroit.

[BookMama]

If I'm counting correctly, there have been four child restraint bills in the past year or so, three of which have been "reported out with recommendation that it pass."

I know I don't understand how government really works, but I do NOT understand what's going on here. The house and senate pass nearly identical bills several times, the transportation committee recommends that they pass, etc. Why (and where) on earth are they getting hung up?

[Jeanum]

I'm in Bookmama's area. I don't recognize a single name on the Transportation Committee list. Well I recognize Coleman Young II's name only because he must be a relative (son?) of his namesake, the former mayor of Detroit. My MIL used to work in the mayor's office during Coleman Young's tenure as mayor, but that's not exactly a connection now. I say zap those folks with e-mails, ladies and gentlemen, particularly if they are your state reps and up for re-election later this year. Let's remind them whom they represent and get some answers.

[BookMama]

Originally Posted by Jeanum

I say zap those folks with e-mails, ladies and gentlemen, particularly if they are your state reps and up for re-election later this year. Let's remind them whom they represent and get some answers.

I agree. I see that although none of them are from our county (click on the names for counties represented), four of them are from Wayne county, where I do my seat checks, so I think I could write especially good letters to them and implore them to help protect the children of Detroit and the rest of Michigan.

[MamaLinzie]

Originally Posted by Jeanum

I say zap those folks with e-mails, ladies and gentlemen, particularly if they are your state reps and up for re-election later this year. Let's remind them whom they represent and get some answers.

Hi. Im in the Lansing area, and more than happy to help in writing reps. Does anyone have a basic letter that I could copy? I never know what to say. Thanks.

[Jeanum]

I'm currently hoping to hear back from my state rep about the status and to get a better understanding of the role of the transportation committee. I asked if both the house and senate versions need to be revised or hammered out into a final version for a final vote and governor's signature or ?? Then I plan to do more e-mailing and tailor the message accordingly. I don't have a specific form letter I use, or at least I haven't come up with one just yet. I'm more comfortable writing from the heart as a mom and child passenger safety advocate/technician and try tailor it to whomever I'm e-mailing as much as possible. I usually include a blurb about how Michigan needs to catch up other states and enact a booster law to help assure our younger passengers are better protected in the vehicle beyond age 4 and at an age and height where they do not safely fit the adult seatbelt. Mentioning the possible loss of federal highway funding if Michigan doesn't enact a booster law can be worth mentioning as well.

[BookMama]

Jean, will you make sure to post an update when you hear back from your state rep? (I assume my state rep too? )

[Jeanum]

It's Rep. Kathy Angerer, D-Dundee, whom I'm waiting to hear from, and I'll be sure to update here. I figured I'd contact her again first to suss out the transportation committee and to try to learn more about what's going on there if possible. Is she your rep, too? I'm not positive about the district boundaries.

[BookMama]

Originally Posted by Jeanum

It's Rep. Kathy Angerer, D-Dundee, whom I'm waiting to hear from, and I'll be sure to update here. I figured I'd contact her again first to suss out the transportation committee and to try to learn more about what's going on there if possible. Is she your rep, too? I'm not positive about the district boundaries.

Oops, you're district 55 and I'm district 54. (And um, yeah, I'm a little embarrassed that I had to look that up! )