Bill > SB165

This bill amends South Dakota's safety seat belt laws to strengthen child and passenger safety regulations and increase penalties. The legislation modifies existing statutes to clarify requirements for child passenger restraints and seat belt usage, changing the penalty for violations from a petty offense to a Class 2 misdemeanor. Specifically, the bill mandates that operators of passenger vehicles must properly secure children under five years old in a child passenger restraint system that meets federal safety standards, with an option to use a seat belt for children at least forty pounds. For passengers between five and eighteen years old, the bill requires wearing a properly adjusted safety seat belt when the vehicle is in motion on a highway. The bill also removes language about secondary enforcement and standardizes references to highways using a specific legal definition. These changes aim to enhance child and passenger safety by creating more explicit and stringent requirements for seat belt and child restraint usage, with more serious legal consequences for non-compliance.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://sdlegislature.gov/#/Session/Bill/26105