Child Safety and Child Booster Seats Incentive Grants

To encourage States to enact and enforce a child restraint law that requires children up to 65 pounds and under 8 years of age to be properly restrained in a child restraint, unless they are 4' 9' tall.

The grant program was available to the 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

State Highway Safety Agencies.

States submitted certifications that met eligibility requirements no later than July 1 of each fiscal year.

No more than 50 percent of the grant a State received in a fiscal year was used to fund programs for purchasing and distributing child safety seats and restraints to low income families. The remaining amounts can be used to carry out child safety seat and child restraint program, including the following: enforcement of child restraint laws; training child passenger safety professionals, police officers, fire and emergency medical personnel, educators and parents concerning child safety seats and child restraints; and educating the public concerning the proper use and installation of child safety seats and child restraints.

Federal share is reimbursed on claims submitted in vouchers covering the eligible costs incurred. All participants have converted to the Electronic Transfer of Funds method.

States are spending down what remains of these funds. No new money has been authorized for this SAFETEA-LU program.

Certifications, signed by the Governor's Representative for Highway Safety, are due no later than July 1 of each fiscal year to the appropriate NHTSA Regional Administrator. To apply for grant funds in a fiscal year, a New or Changed Law State must submit the certification required by Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 20, Tuesday, January 31, 2006, Appendix 1 and an Unchanged Law State must submit the certification required by Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 20, Tuesday, January 31, 2006, Appendix 2, signed by the Governor's Representative for Highway Safety, to the appropriate NHTSA Regional Administrator.

A certification from the Governor's Representative that the State is enforcing a child restraint law that conforms to the criteria established in Section 2011.

A State submitted certification met eligibility requirements; after being informed by NHTSA that it is eligible for a grant, the State submits to the agency a plan that describes the programs the State will implement using the funds. Federal share is reimbursed on claims submitted in vouchers covering costs incurred. All participants have converted to the Electronic Transfer of Funds method. Funds placed in obligation are available until expended. NHTSA notifies the Governor in a letter that the State has met the requirements for a Section 2011 grant. The letter also described the amount of the grant award.

Certifications must be submitted each year no later than July 1 of that fiscal year.