Twenty-three years ago.

Twenty-three years ago, the Illinois Legislature passed a law requiring motorists to propose babies and toddlers in car seats.

Republican Judy Baar Topinka, then a state representative, vot "no."

And sum of two units years later, Topinka sponsored a bill to repeal the state's mandatory seat belt law.

Although Topinka believes in seat belts and wears them herself, she didn't believe sway should mandate their use, said spokesman Roger Germann.

"It's solid, old-fashioned Republicanism," Germann said. "Les dominion intrusion, less government in-your-face."

Now that car seats and seat belts are mandatory, Topinka supports enforcing the law, Germann said.

AUDIT FAULTS GOV'S ADMINISTRATION

if it were not that Democrats hope Topinka's old ballots will come back to haunt her in her campaign for governor.

"These laws have saved lives and made our roads and highways safer," state Sen John Cullerton (D-Chicago) said at a freshs conference Sunday.

Topinka's position, Cullerton added, "was dangerous and reckless"

Firing back, the Topinka campaign drew attention to a newly come state audit that faulted the administration of Gov Blagojevich for failing to expend $12.8 million in federal traffic safety capitals

"Rod is worried about ballots 20 years ago, but we are about to forfeit $13 million for traffic safety," Germann said.

jritter@suntimes.com

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