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SPONSOR: |
Vigil |
DATE TYPED: |
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HB |
351 |
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SHORT TITLE: |
Fines for Driving Below Safe Minimum Speed |
SB |
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ANALYST: |
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REVENUE
Estimated Revenue |
Subsequent Years Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
|
FY03 |
FY04 |
|
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
Recurring |
OSF |
Responses
Received From
Administrative
Office of the Courts (AOC)
Department
of Public Safety (DPS)
State
Highway and Transportation Department (SHTD)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
House Bill 351
increases the fine for driving below the safe minimum speed from $10 to $25,
and changes some technical statutory language
Significant
Issues
The SHTD supports the concept of
maintaining the appropriate minimum safe speed in a vehicle as an important
traffic safety consideration. However, a
small increase in the fine associated with this offense will likely have any
significant deterrent effect.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
SHTD has no information regarding the number of
minimum speed offenses for which penalty assessments are issued each year. Presumably, the number is small and the
revenue impact will be negligible.
SHTD notes a number of
“add-on fees” are associated with any penalty assessment violation. The additional
“fees” of either $33 or $39 include: $10 court automation fee; $3 traffic
safety fee; $1
judicial education fee; $5 brain injury services fee; $10 court facilities fee
($14 in metropolitan court jurisdictions); and, $10 local government
corrections fee (applicable outside metropolitan court jurisdictions).
The AOC notes there
will be a minimal administrative cost for statewide update, distribution, and
documentation of statutory changes. They further state the increased fine will
cause more people to challenge a charge of driving below the safe minimum speed
and will call for increased judicial resources.
DPS wants serious
consideration given to clarification of existing statute to include below posted
speed guidelines, and also to include specific wording that vehicles traveling
at or slower than the posted speed utilize the rightmost lane of traffic,
unless passing or overtaking another vehicle.
This may include wording specifically directed at commercial vehicles,
such as trucks and buses. Also, this would provide the opportunity for proper
signage to further enforce and emphasize the statute. A similar statute exists in