Kare11
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.
The council argues that the HERC must be closed to comply with the city’s zero waste policy, which was passed back in 2017.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a plan to shut down the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) on Thursday.
The resolution comes after decades of protests against the massive North Loop trash incinerator that burns roughly 365,000 tons of garbage a year.
“Today is a big step towards protecting the health of our communities and addressing longstanding environmental injustices that disproportionately impact communities of color,” said councilmember Robin Wonsley, in a statement.
The resolution calls for the incinerator to be permanently closed by Dec 31, 2027 and for the entire facility to be shut down by Dec 31, 2033.
The council argues that the HERC must be closed to comply with the city’s zero waste policy, which was passed back in 2017.
In October 2023, the Hennepin County Board signed off on a plan to close the HERC between 2028 and 2040, depending on how quickly the county can transition into a zero-waste system.
Of the garbage burned at the HERC, 75% comes from the city of Minneapolis. The other 25% comes from a dozen other cities in the area. The HERC produces enough energy to power more than 25,000 homes and half the buildings in downtown Minneapolis.
At a City Council Meeting on Oct. 10, Jenni Lansing with the City of Minneapolis Health Department provided analysis on the air pollution impacts of HERC. She said the health department supports working towards a zero-waste future and the ultimate closure of HERC, but said closing it now is not the solution.
“Overall emissions in Hennepin County are dominated by on-road and non-road, mobile and nonpoint sources, and these sources drive the cancer and non-cancer risks to health in Minneapolis,” Lansing said.
Hennepin County defines zero waste as preventing 90% or more of all discarded materials from being landfilled or incinerated.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
The snow is really coming down in some places with Maple Lake getting 3.5″ so far.
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — The wettest Halloween storm ever — is making mischief before little trick-or-treaters hit their neighborhood’s slushy streets.
Officials are reporting several power outages and car spin-outs.
There have been over 14,000 power outages, according to Xcel Energy.
The Minnesota State Patrol has responded to 169 crashes and 94 vehicles off the road, as of 2. pm. Thursday.
Meteorologist Beny Dery said an additional 1 to 2″ of snow is possible before things taper off this evening.
So far some of the totals around town are: 3.5″ Maple Lake, 3.0″ Buffalo, 2.5″ Dassel, 2.4″ Windom, 2.0″ St. Bonifacious, 1.5″ Maple Plain and 1.5″ in Bethel.
The snow is expected to let up from west to east and should wrap up for the metro between 5 to 6 p.m.
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.”
