October 10, 2007

Kids in cars

The governor has signed SB 7, which will prohibit smoking in vehicles carrying a minor. And he has vetoed AB 881, which would have required parents to keep kids in car seats until they were 8 years old unless they met state-approved height and weight standards.

Both are tough bills, because they are "nanny" state bills but bills involving children, who actually need nannies.

SB 7, banning smoking in cars carrying a minor, seems to make sense, especially if you can't stand cigarette smoke or the idea of subjecting kids to it in a confined space. But it also begs the question: if not in car, how about in a one-bedroom apartment, or an office, or any other confined space? You have to wonder where the state will draw the line. And where it should draw the line.

AB 881, the car-seat bill, is probably an easier call, because the law already requires kids up to age 6 to be in special restraints. In his veto message, Schwarzenegger said it would be better to educate parents about obeying the laws we already have rather than passing new laws requiring more children to be in car seats.

For those of you keeping track at home, both of these bills were on the FlashReport.org conservative Web site's list of the 20 "worst bills" that they wanted the governor to veto. So far he has acted on four of the bills, signing 3 and vetoing only one. But remember, governors tend to sign bills in the light of day to reap the most credit, and veto bills late at night or in huge bunches at the end of the bill-signing period.

I still think his final score on these 20 bills is going to be much closer to 3-to-1 against than 3-to-1 in favor.

Posted by dweintraub on October 10, 2007 5:22 PM