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House Defeats Seat Belt Legislation

April 8, 1997
By: Missy Shelton
State Capital Bureau

Also see the House rollcall.

The House defeated a measure that would have tightened seat belt regulations and increased vehicle safety.

Missy Shelton has the story from Jefferson City.

Story:Missy Shelton
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

The bill would have required children to wear seat belts and prohibited children from riding in open truck beds.

But a controversial amendment tacked onto the bill would have eliminated the requirment that motorcyclists wear helmets.

Bill sponsor Deleta Williams said the amendment caused some legislators to vote the bill down.

Actuality:Deleta Williams
RunTime:
OutCue: "...away from the safety issue."
Contents: "They told me they could not support the bill with the provision that eliminated the motorcycle helmets because our whole objective in this bill is to enhance safety and in fact, what we were doing was taking away from the safety issue."

[101K WAV file - Deleta Williams]

Williams said she plans to seek another vote on this bill that would require children wear seat belts.

From Jefferson City, I'm Missy Shelton.

By a narrow margin, the House defeated a bill designed to protect children from road accidents.

Missy Shelton has the story from Jefferson City.

Story:Missy Shelton
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

The measure would have required children to buckle up and made it illegal for children to ride in open truck beds.

But an amendment to the bill would have eliminated current law that requires motorcyclists to wear helmets.

Amendment sponsor Don Lograsso said he voted against the bill because he feared the amendment would be stripped from the bill.

Lograsso, a top GOP leader in the House, also said he believes it's an issue of rights.

Actuality:Don Lograsso
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents: "An adult who has not been convicted of a crime should have all the rights we can give them. And one of those rights that is rightfully theirs is the choice of whether they wear seat belts or whether they wear motorcycle helmets or not."

[126K WAV file - Don Lograsso]

Bill sponsor, Deleta Williams plans to ask for another vote to require children to wear seat belts.

From Jefferson City, I'm Missy Shelton.