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Lawmakers rolling out proposal to help prevent hot car deaths

WASHINGTON — It's not even summer yet and already this year eight children have died as a result of being left in a hot car. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are now pushing for a plan they say would prevent similar tragedies.

About 38 children die every year in hot vehicles, 800 total since 1990. The new proposal would require cars to be equipped with an alert system that would tell the driver when a passenger is still in the car after it is turned off.

Erin Holley realized her baby had been left in the car before it was too late.

"My car can tell me the air pressure in all four tires, how much life is left in the battery, but it can't tell me that I inadvertently left a child in the car or that a child snuck in the car or a pet with a simple alarm," said Holley.

>> Related: Shoppers rescue toddler from hot car in dramatic cellphone video

We told you in 2017 when Congress first introduced this plan. At the time, major car companies opposed the requirement saying only a small fraction of new car owners have children.

Some GMC models do now come with a rear seat reminder feature.

"The government can work, it can do things it can make life safer and better for its citizens if we come together in a bipartisan way like we're doing here, we’re going to get this done we're going to save lives," said Rep. Tim Ryan, (D) Ohio.