TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Some lawmakers are looking to make big changes concerning leaving children in cars.
A new bill making its way through the Florida legislature, aims to make it illegal to leave a child alone in a car, even for just for a moment.
Current Florida law says you can leave a child alone in a car for up to 15 minutes. That’s anyone under the age of 6. Under the new bill, parents could be charged with a misdemeanor if they leave their child alone for any length of time.
If passed, parents could face a second-degree misdemeanor. The proposed bill would not only give police officers the right to remove your child if they are left behind for just a few minutes. Officers could turn them over to the Department of Children and Families if they can't find the parents.
Danielle Kessenger with Safe Kids Northeast Florida said in a 10 minute time frame, the inside of your car can rise 20 degrees on a 72 degree day.
"People really should think about- is that the car is not a babysitter. The car is not a playground. The car is a means of getting from here to there. We should really use it as such and be cautious," said Kessenger.
The bill also calls for a third-degree felony if the child is badly hurt. If this were to pass, it would take effect this October.