Vehicles: child passenger restraints.

Removed provisions that would have raised the age threshold for rear-seat child restraint requirements from under 8 to under 13, and added a front-seat restriction for ages 13-15 unless the 5-Step test is met.

The bill now amends only Sections 27315, 27318, 27360.5, and 27363 of the Vehicle Code, compared to the earlier version which also amended or added Sections 27360, 27363.5, and 27365.

Removed new bus seatbelt requirements that would have required all children under 16 on buses to be acceptably restrained by a safety belt meeting the 5-Step test, replacing the existing tiered system based on age and height.

Removed hospital and birthing center discharge counseling requirements that would have expanded the obligation to discuss child passenger restraint information from children under 8 to children 13 and under.

Removed car rental agency requirements that would have changed posted notice age from under 8 to under 10 and expanded the obligation to provide child passenger restraint systems for children under 13 instead of under 8.

Removed the complex sunset-and-replacement structure where old sections would expire on January 1, 2027 and be replaced by newly added parallel sections with updated provisions.

The enrolled version retains the 5-Step test definition (sitting back against seat, knees bending over edge, shoulder belt crossing chest not neck, lap belt low on thighs, able to stay seated for whole trip) but applies it only as a redefinition of 'properly restrained by a safety belt' rather than as a new standard applied across multiple age-based requirements.

The rear seat requirement was expanded from covering only children between 10 and 13 years of age to covering all children 13 years of age and under, meaning children under 10 who previously had different rules are now explicitly included in the same rear seat mandate.

The front seat prohibition for older children was narrowed from ages 13 to 16 (Assembly version) to ages 13 to 15 inclusive (Senate version), removing the requirement that 16-year-olds meet the 5-Step test before riding in the front seat.

A new provision redefines 'properly restrained by a safety belt' to mean meeting all five criteria of the 5-Step test (sitting back against seat, knees bending over edge, shoulder belt crossing chest not neck, lap belt touching thighs, able to stay seated for whole trip), replacing the existing simpler definition that only required the lap belt to cross hips/thighs and the shoulder belt to cross the chest.

Rental car agency notice requirements were narrowed from covering children under 13 to children under 10, while the requirement to provide child passenger restraint systems for rental was expanded from covering children under 10 to children under 13.

The hospital and clinic requirement to discuss child passenger restraint information with parents was expanded from applying when the child is under 10 years of age to applying when the child is 13 years of age or under.

The Assembly version contained a section numbering conflict (both amending and adding Section 27315). The Senate version reorganized the structure to resolve this, with the amendment to existing Section 27315 appearing first followed by the new section.

The front-seat restriction for children was narrowed from ages 13 to 16 to ages 13 to 15 inclusive, since 16-year-olds are already covered by the general adult seatbelt requirement.

The age threshold for hospitals and clinics to discuss child passenger restraint information at discharge was raised from under 10 years of age to under 13 years of age.

A new exception allows a child under 13 to ride in the front seat of a motor vehicle in a child passenger restraint system under specified circumstances (such as when there is no rear seat). A child 10 or older in that situation may use a safety belt instead of a child restraint system if they pass the 5-Step test.

Bus seatbelt requirements were simplified from a tiered system (under 10 needed the 5-Step test, ages 10-16 needed proper restraint) to a single standard: all passengers under 16 must be acceptably restrained by a safety belt using the 5-Step test.

Rental car agency obligations were adjusted: the posted notice now covers children under 10 (previously under 13), while the requirement to provide child passenger restraint systems for rent was expanded to cover children under 13 (previously under 10).

The front-seat seatbelt requirement for limousine-for-hire and taxicab operators was raised from passengers 8 years of age or older to passengers 13 years of age or older, using the new 'acceptably restrained' (5-Step test) standard instead of the old 'properly restrained' standard.

Header changed from enrolled bill format (with Assembly and Senate passage dates, clerk signatures) to chaptered format with 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' header, Chapter 434 designation, and Governor approval date of October 7, 2025.

Page numbering changed from page 95 to page 94, and page headers changed from 'AB 435' to 'Ch. 434' throughout the document.

The age threshold for requiring a child passenger restraint system was lowered from under 13 (as introduced) to under 10. Children aged 10-13 may now use a standard safety belt if they pass the 5-Step test, rather than all children under 13 needing a restraint system.

The hospital/birthing center requirement to discuss child restraint information at discharge was expanded from children under 8 to children under 10 years of age.

Section 27315 (general seatbelt law) is being repealed and replaced with a new version that raises the front-seat age threshold for limousines and taxicabs from 8 to 13 years of age, and requires those passengers to be 'acceptably restrained' (passing the 5-Step test) rather than merely 'properly restrained.'

Section 27318 (bus seatbelt law) is being repealed and replaced with a new version that requires all passengers under 16 to be acceptably restrained by a safety belt using the 5-Step test, rather than the previous split between 'properly restrained' for ages 8-16 and 'acceptably restrained' for younger children.

A new front-seat prohibition is added for children between 13 and 16 years of age: they cannot ride in the front seat unless they are acceptably restrained by a safety belt (passing the 5-Step test).

Rental agency notice requirements were expanded: the posted notice now states children under 13 must ride in the rear seat (was under 8), and car rental agencies must provide child passenger restraint systems for children under 10 (was under 8).

The 5-Step test was refined: 'knees bend comfortably at the edge' changed to 'knees bend over the edge,' and a new criterion was added requiring the shoulder belt to snugly cross the center of the child's chest and shoulder, not the neck. The old criterion about the belt crossing between neck and arm was removed.

All major changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2027, giving a two-year implementation period from the amendment date.

The bill explicitly states that no state reimbursement is required for the state-mandated local program imposed by expanding the scope of existing crimes.