5/17/04-A measure that would have permitted police to pull over drivers who are not buckled up has died.
HF1663 remained in the House Committee on Transportation Policy at the close of the session May 16, effectively killing it for the year.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, sought to create a primary law for seat-belt enforcement. Currently, police can ticket drivers only after stopping a vehicle for another traffic violation.
The seat-belt provision was added to a larger Senate transportation bill but it toll failed to gain passage before lawmakers adjourned.

2/10/04-A proposal in the House would permit police to pull over drivers who are not buckled up.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, would create a primary law for seat-belt enforcement. Currently, police can ticket drivers only after stopping a vehicle for another traffic violation.
Violators would be fined $50 – up from the current $25 fine.
If signed into law, it would put Minnesota in line for additional federal money.
The Bush administration recently proposed an incentive program to encourage states to increase seat-belt enforcement. The program would provide grants worth $100 million a year for highway safety or construction programs to states that pass a primary seat-belt law or show a seat-belt-usage rate of at least 90 percent.
Failure to do one or the other would result in a loss of up to 4 percent of federal highway funds to the state.
HF1663 has been forwarded to the House Committee on Transportation Policy. For House bill status, call (651) 296-6646.