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Booster Seat Bill Clears Senate Committee

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) -- A bill requiring that children up to age 7 be in a booster seat when in a car has cleared a Senate Committee.

The measure (SB 196) has exceptions for children who are particularly tall, but is aimed at preventing deaths or injuries to children who are too big for a car seat, but aren't big enough to be well restrained by an adult seat belt.

"The belt is across their neck or the abdomen," said bill sponsor Sen. Thad Altman, R-Viera.

The measure would give breaks to first time offenders and allow them to get a booster seat to get out of paying a ticket. That's a nod to opponents, who have said the bill is an over-reach by government.

"We've tried to keep this as non-intrusive as possible," said Altman before the bill was approved 8-2 by the Senate Transportation Budget Subcommittee.

Voting against it were Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale and Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker.

The bill goes now to the full Budget Committee.

"The News Service of Florida contributed to this report."

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