I live in central california. I did not know about this until my sister from texas asked me about it.
You wanna talk authoritarian? THIS is authoritarian.
Ole mumdonny in noo yawk city is gonna get dehydrated by this because he will be drooling with anticipation that he can emulate this in nyc.
This country has gone to hell without benefit of a handbasket. Time to start the revolution.
Assembly Bill 435 (AB 435), authored by Assemblymember Lori Wilson, was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 7, 2025, and became Chapter 434 of the Statutes of 2025. The law amends several sections of the California Vehicle Code to strengthen child passenger safety regulations.
The most significant change introduced by AB 435 is the replacement of the current height-based exemption for front seat riding with a new "5-Step test" to determine if a child is properly restrained by a safety belt. This test, which will take effect on January 1, 2027, requires that a child be sitting all the way back against the auto seat, with knees bending over the edge of the seat, the shoulder belt snugly crossing the center of the chest and shoulder (not the neck), the lap belt as low as possible and touching the thighs, and the child able to maintain this position for the entire trip.
Under the new law, children under 10 years of age will be required to use a booster seat, and children under 13 years of age will not be allowed to sit in the front seat unless they pass the 5-Step test. The bill also clarifies that a child who fails the test must continue to use a booster seat.
The law maintains the existing requirement that children under 8 years old or under 4 feet 9 inches in height must be secured in an appropriate child passenger restraint system. It also preserves the current fine structure for violations: a $20 fine for a first offense and up to $50 for subsequent offenses.
The bill was initially proposed to raise the minimum age for front seat riding to 16 and to eliminate the height requirement entirely, but these provisions were not included in the final version that was enacted. The final law does not require the state to reimburse local agencies for the costs associated with the new requirements.
