Requiring certain vehicles that transport children to and from a child care provider to have child safety alarms installed, granting rule-making authority, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and providing a penalty

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current Department of Children and Families (DCF) administrative rules, a child may not be left unattended in a vehicle that transports children to or from a day care center that is licensed by DCF, a day care provider that is certified according to standards adopted by DCF, or a day care program that is established or contracted for by a school board (child care provider).

Under this bill, a child care provider or contractor of a child care provider that owns or leases a child care vehicle must install a child safety alarm, which has been approved by DCF, before the child care vehicle is placed in service. Under the bill, "child care vehicle" means "a vehicle that has a seating capacity of six or more passengers in addition to the driver, that is owned or leased by a child care provider or a contractor of a child care provider, and that is used to transport children to and from the child care provider." Under the bill, "child safety alarm" means "an alarm system that prompts the driver of a child care vehicle to inspect the child care vehicle for children before exiting the child care vehicle." The bill, however, grants to a child care provider or contractor of a child care provider that owns or leases a child care vehicle that is in use before the effective date of the bill a grace period of three months after the effective date of the bill to install a child safety alarm. Under the bill, any person who knowingly transports a child to or from a child care provider in a child care vehicle in which a child safety alarm has not been installed, is not properly maintained, or is not in good working order may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year in the county jail or both. The same penalty applies to any child care provider or contractor of a child care provider that knowingly permits a child to be transported in a child care vehicle it owns or leases and in which a child safety alarm has not been installed, is not properly maintained, or is not in good working order.

Who's behind it

7 senators are its authors⁠. All 7 are Democrats.

16 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From DCF

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

• Amendment SA1-SB141
• Amendment SA2-SB141
• Amendment SA3-SB141
• LC Amendment Memo