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New child passenger laws going into effect August 1
For parents, one particular set of 2024 rules will stand out for how kids should sit down in the backseat of their cars.
ST PAUL, Minn — In the dead of every Minnesota summer, a laundry list of laws passed by state lawmakers comes alive. For parents, one particular set of rules will stand out for how kids should sit down in the backseat of their cars.
Starting Aug. 1, the Minnesota Child Passenger Safety Law goes into effect, bringing new guidance on child seats, booster seats and seat belts for kiddos.
Before these changes, state law required car seats to be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions on height and weight. Now, the new laws specify ages for rear and forward-facing car seats, booster seats and seat belts. The new laws also increase the booster seat requirement from 8 to 9 years old.
The new child restraint laws will require:
- A child younger than age 2 is to be properly restrained in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system with an internal harness until the child reaches the weight or height limit of the child passenger restraint system.
- A child who is at least age 2 and exceeds the rear-facing weight or height limit of the child passenger restraint system is to be properly restrained in a forward-facing child passenger restraint system with an internal harness until the child reaches the weight or height limit of the child passenger restraint system.
- A child who is at least age 4 and exceeds the weight or height limit of the forward-facing child passenger restraint system is to be properly restrained in a booster seat and secured with a safety belt.
- A child who is at least age 9 or exceeds the weight or height limit of the child passenger restraint system or the booster seat is to be secured with a safety belt adjusted and fastened around the child’s body to fit correctly.
- If a child falls into more than one category, then the child must be placed in a safer restraint for them. For example, a child who is 2.5 years old and weighs 35 pounds but has a car seat with a rear-facing limit of 40 pounds must stay rear-facing even though they are over 2 years old.
Additionally, the new guidelines said children under 13 years old must sit in the back seat if possible.
The Aug. 1 changes also state that every driver who has children under the age of 18 in a vehicle must have them in a child safety seat or restrained by a seat belt.
According to the news release, the new law is “based on best practice and mirrors the American Academy of Pediatrics child seat recommendations. It keeps children from prematurely graduating to the next level of restraint.”
A detailed summary of all the new 2024 laws — pertaining to business and commerce, elections, civil law, employment, the environment, public safety and others — can be found online, published by the nonpartisan House Public Information Services.
Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
