Bravo, California!!!

Cudos to the dedicated and persistent CPS Advocates and like-minded legislators who finally achieved an important change in the California CPS law.

After five years of effort, a bill was signed today (10/4/11) by Governor Jerry Brown raising the CR requirement from 6 and 60 pounds to 8 years.

It has an exemption for kids who are medically unfit (including over 4'9"). It includes a "correct belt fit" requirement for kids, so older kids may come under the requirement, depending on fit in their vehicle (5-step test).

California, which had been among the first states to pass a “booster law,” had seen two vetoes (by Gov. Schwartzenegger) of earlier attempts. The fight has been long but worthwhile, since we all know that a well publicized change like this can influence many caregivers’ behavior.

This reminds me that we all need to keep in mind that CPS education is only one part of a comprehensive effort to protect children’s lives:

Education

Legislation/Enforcement

Engineering/Standards

True CPS advocacy involves awareness of and support for all these aspects.

Fighting for years for improving legislation is one of the toughest struggles. Our California colleagues and Governor Brown deserve our thanks!

Deborah

The details of the revised law are at:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_929_bill_209_bill_20111004_chaptered.pdf


What's Blue and Taller Than Sally—NB

Steve and Sally

Seattle is raining and cold today, the street is full of puddles and the wind nips at your face.  And in all this drizzle and grey, a big old white truck rumbled down our street, filled with big white boxes (and boxes).  And tucked inside each box were the new 2011 LATCH manuals, the color of a Seattle sky on a warm summer day.  A feeling good, happy day, lay-in-the-grass-with-nothing to do blue sky day. You know what I mean?   That blue.  


At 9 AM today, Consolidated Press came with a special delivery of manuals!  Consolidated Press is major cool, guys.  


The majority of the run is still at the bindery, but, just for us, they pulled 669 off the floor so we could have some before Christmas. (I told you they were cool!).  


Their usual truck was in the shop, so they used an old one, without a lift.  The driver (Don), Sally, Steve and I hand unloaded the boxes. Each box weights 25 lbs.  We all got a bit of a work out.    


Ok so Sally is only 4 ft 11.  But still that's a lot of boxes.

KIM school bus-CPS training coming together

Phew!
I'm getting ready to leave for India for almost a month, and now one of the plans I'd been hoping would come to reality is about to be announced.
I wanted to hold a session of the NHTSA school bus-CPS course before the KIM conference in Fort Worth. The location is ideal, as two of the most seasoned trainers for this course are in Texas. Now it looks like it will really happen.
It will be an 8-hour, train-the-trainer presentation—only for CPSTs and CPSTIs—on August 25.
I hope to see some of you there.
DDS