California Assembly Bill 1535 (2014)

California Assembly Bill 1535 (AB 1535), enacted in 2014, amended California's Vehicle Code relating to child passenger restraint systems. Specifically, it addressed the proper seating position for children under the age of two. The bill mandated that children under two years of age be secured in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds OR is 40 or more inches in height.

Prior to AB 1535, California law generally required children under the age of eight to be secured in a child passenger restraint system, but it did not specifically mandate rear-facing positioning for infants and toddlers. The intent of AB 1535 was to enhance child passenger safety by aligning California law with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which advises keeping children rear-facing for as long as possible, up to the height or weight limits of their car seat.

The bill included provisions for exceptions based on the child's weight or height, recognizing that some children might outgrow rear-facing car seats before their second birthday. It also exempted children with medical conditions if a physician certified that rear-facing positioning would be unsafe.

AB 1535 significantly impacted how young children are transported in vehicles in California, aiming to reduce the risk of injury in the event of a collision. Its passage reflected a broader trend toward promoting evidence-based best practices in child passenger safety.