Silly Bills Part II (California Dems' Booster Seat Snafu Alert)

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 09/03/06 | Jill Stewart

[goldstategop]

One of the most mindless laws approved was Assembly Bill 2108, by Sonoma County Democrat Noreen Evans. It requires parents to stick kids in automobile backseat booster seats until they turn age 8, or the kids grow to a specified height.

This onerous law will cost parents millions of dollars, and save between zero and seven lives annually in California.

Is that a typo?

Is it possible that our full-time, "professional" Legislature approved a law forcing parents to spend millions of dollars, and preventing their small children from riding with their bigger kids in the front seat, all to save fewer than 10 lives a year? That would be insane.

So, welcome to the nuthouse. I cannot exaggerate the turmoil this silly bill will create. Booster seats cost about $20 to $90, and the U.S. Census says California has roughly 1 million 6- and 7-year-olds, the group hit by AB2108.

By my estimate, in the first year alone, parents will get slammed with tens of millions of dollars in additional costs. Parents who try to economize by using boosters from the attic will find that many are too small. Worse, about 500,000 of California's under-8 children are from big families. Where do parents put four under-8-year-old kids if none can sit up front in the Toyota Camry? Big families -- largely Latino, by the way -- will be forced to buy huge vehicles.

Yet in my Google searching, I could not find a single media outlet in California that bothered to report that AB2108 will save fewer than seven lives annually.

[goldstategop]

Every year, the state's Dems pass silly laws that extend government control into every facet of our lives. This year, they approved a bill (AB 2108 by Sonoma County Democrat Noreen Evans) that requires parents to put children until they reach age 8 into a booster seat in the back of the car - or a certain height. As it turns out, this proposed law would save between zero and seven lives a year! Parents would be forced to go through a lot of expense for little gain. And who's fault is it that these freedom stealing bozos get elected to office here? Its ours. You would think in the land of fruits, flakes and nuts, they'd begin to appreciate the Nanny State is too much of a good thing.

(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )

[Mark was here]

I think the kids should be able to ride in the back of a pickup truck. I rode in the back of a truck before and I'm doing fine.

The blame for this lunacy lies with the voters of California who elected their representatives.

[USNBandit]

Actually it could be a lot worse.

The legislature could have mandated that the car makers make all seat belt and airbag systems adjust to those same kids adding thousands of dollars to the cost of cars.

They truly won't be satisfied until kids go straight from the back seat in a booster to the driver seat.

[ASOC]

Not a whole of lot of cost/benefit analysis going on with the pols 'eh?

[mngalt]

I just have to wonder if Noreen the Sonoma Twit even has kids, or understands how big an 8 year old can be. God save me from ninnys who only want to do what's best for me, and have use of the police power of the government with which to do so.

[upcountryhorseman]

This bill is the least of the horrors passed by this socialist legislature; What has happened to the Republicans
that used to block these atrocities? The only recourse we
have now is Arnold's veto pen.

[always paddle your own canoe]

This "law" has already been passed and been put into effect in Missouri, so this does not surprise me.

[ArmstedFragg]

What has happened to the Republicans that used to block these atrocities?

They voted against it. It was 23-13 in the Senate, and 47-28 in the Assembly. It wasn't an urgency bill, so.....

[ContraryMary]

One of the most mindless laws approved was Assembly Bill 2108, by Sonoma County Democrat Noreen Evans. It requires parents to stick kids in automobile backseat booster seats until they turn age 8, or the kids grow to a specified height.

This is already the law here in NJ. Fortunately, my youngest was seven when this was enacted. As he's a big kid, I didn't bother.

Feel-good legislators pass stupid laws all the time. Many state legislatures have ruined bike riding for kids by passing inane laws that says kids need to wear a helmut until they're seventeen. That's why we never see teenagers riding bicycles anymore -- they'd never be caught dead wearing a helmet. Same applies to inline skating.

But the cluelessness will go on.

[mewzilla]

FWIW :)

Sled Tests and CIREN Data Illustrating the Benefits of Booster Seats

[mngalt]

Your nick and post reminds me of my own son. He was 10 when the nannies passed the mandatory 18 and under bicycle helmet law. He put his bike in the garage and never touched it again. I wonder where he got that? ;)

[Don Corleone]

For those of you who must vote Democratic....here is another law of unintended consequences. When will you ever learn?