MINNEAPOLIS, May 8, 2008 - Tougher seatbelt rules and driving restrictions for teens hit a speed bump Thursday. 

The measures had been expected to pass as part of an omnibus transportation policy bill but instead were refered back to a conference committee.

The MMA has been a strong supporter of both measures. 

The tougher teen driving provision would strengthen Minnesota’s existing graduated drivers license requirement so that newly licensed drivers under 18 would be restricted from driving between midnight and 5 a.m. and would have limits on the number of young people that could ride in the car with them for their first year of driving.

The seatbelt provision would make not wearing a seatbelt a primary offense, which would allow officers to stop and ticket motorists for not wearing their seatbelts.

A booster seat provision that the MMA also supports appears to be dead for this year, because it was stripped from the omnibus transportation bill that was scheduled for a vote Thursday evening.

The updated booster seat law would increase the age that a child would be required to use a booster seat from four to eight years old as is recommended by the National Transportation Safety Administration.