A bill by Assemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, aimed at preventing unintentional childhood injuries was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, officials said.

This childhood safety law, Assembly Bill (AB) 1336, is Smith’s second bill to be ratified. 

The legislation updates the issues listed and covered by Kids Plates specialty vehicle license plate revenues.

“All too often, we hear about the tragedies of children hurt or taken from us too early,” Smith said. “Many of these incidents are unintentional, preventable injuries. The Kids Plates fund actively works to eradicate the leading cause of death and hospitalization of our children.”

Smith praised the California Coalition for Children’s Safety and Health, who sponsored the bill.

Childhood unintentional injury prevention programs are funded by proceeds from Kids Plates. Kids Plates and personalized license plates featuring a star, handprint, plus sign or heart shape.

The list of childhood injuries had not been updated since 1992, and did not reflect all eight leading causes of childhood unintentional injuries, according to Danni Wang, communications director for Smith.

AB 1336 adds the following five issues to that list:

• Pedestrian safety
• Misuse and access to prescription medications
• Baby/infant sleep suffocation
• Children left in parked cars and being backed over in the driveway and parking lots
• Sports injuries

“Governor Newsom’s signing of Assemblywoman Smith’s AB 1336 makes sure the state’s funding support for childhood injury prevention covers all of the leading causes of childhood unintentional injury, not just the smaller list of injury causes identified back in 1992, when the Kids Plates specialty license plate program was created,” said Catherine Barankin, executive director of the California Coalition for Children’s Safety and Health.

AB 1336 is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2020.

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