Traffic Offense Bills
Passed:
HB 30 Road Rage Amendments passed, creating the enhancement for road rage. Road rage will be charged as a step above any misdemeanor offense and equal to any felony offense. We spoke to the sponsor and got language added that explicitly carves out speech and gestures as protected free speech. We were also able to modify the enhancement and seizure provisions to only apply to class B misdemeanors and above.
HB 345 Driving Penalty Amendments increases fines for speeding in a school zone and failure to obey school bus signals. We testified in committee about the overall bill and were able to reduce the community service hours to much more reasonable hour requirements. The bill passed.
Failed:
HB 201 Traffic Enforcement Amendments was never heard in committee. This bill was this year’s version of “robocop” and sought to allow the use of a speed safety camera without a peace officer present, although this version would have prohibited any data or evidence captured by a speed safety camera from being used as evidence in a criminal or civil proceeding or investigation other than evidence of an individual committing a moving traffic violation. We spoke with interested parties including past lobbyists who wanted to push this bill but ultimately did not have to lobby legislators besides asking them to watch for it.
We spoke in support of HB 323 Motor Vehicle Safety Inspection Modifications, the original version of which would only allow an officer to stop a vehicle for improper window tinting if the vehicle has violated another offense. A committee amendment gutted the bill, and it failed to pass this session.