Louisiana Lawmakers Back Motorist Bills: License Plate Scans; Texting; Seatbelts
Louisiana lawmakers have approved several bills related to driving safety.
A proposal filed by Republican Sen. Ronnie Johns to allow law enforcement agencies to automatically scan motorists’ license plates was passed by a vote of 30-3 in the Senate. Former Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed a similar bill last year.
Senate Bill 54 would create a pilot program that runs until 2022 to crack down on car thieves and insurance scofflaws. Johns describes the technology as a way for police to cross-check license plates with police databases to determine if vehicles are stolen or uninsured.
Jindal raised privacy concerns, saying data collected through scans could be stolen or misused.
The Louisiana House has backed a proposal to double fines against people caught not wearing seatbelts.
Rep. Walt Leger, a New Orleans Democrat, says his bill to increase the fine from $25 to $50 will generate more money for the state and save lives. Drivers would pay $75 each additional time.
The House passed House Bill 751 in a 62-34 vote.
Leger says the number one factor in increasing seat belt usage is raising fines. At $50, Louisiana will still rank among states with the lowest penalties, he says.
Rep. Barry Ivey, a Baton Rouge Republican, supported the bill and said he’d like to see a higher fine.
The Louisiana Senate approved tougher penalties for disobeying state laws that ban texting or posting to social media sites while driving and that restrict cell phone use for young drivers.
Violators under current law face a traffic fine of up to $175 for the first offense and up to $500 for second and subsequent violations.
A bill by Sen. Yvonne Dorsey Colomb, a Baton Rouge Democrat, would boost those fines to up to $500 for the first offense and up to $1,000 for additional violations.
Drivers under 18 could face suspension of their driver’s licenses for up to 60 days for second and later violations, under the proposal.
The Senate voted 35-2 for Senate Bill 91.