4/24/07-A bill has died that would have allowed more cities and counties to issue their own fines for minor traffic violations instead of state tickets.
Sponsored by Rep. Larry Hosch, DFL-St. Joseph, HF847 remained in the House Public Safety and Civil Justice Committee at a deadline to advance, effectively killing it for the year.
The bill would have allowed law enforcement to hand out administrative tickets for minor infractions.
The bill would have limited traffic violations eligible for administrative fines to such offenses as exceeding the speed limit by 10 mph or less, failure to signal intentions to turn, and running red lights or stop signs.
Cities and counties still would have needed to adopt ordinances before they could issue tickets. They could have kept the revenue.
Violators would have had the option to contest the penalties and have offenses charged under state laws.
The Senate version of the bill - SF1008 - met a similar fate.

3/14/07-A bill in the House Public Safety and Civil Justice Committee would allow more cities and counties to issue their own fines for minor traffic violations instead of state tickets.
Sponsored by Rep. Larry Hosch, DFL-St. Joseph, HF847 would allow law enforcement to hand out administrative tickets for minor infractions.
The bill would limit traffic violations eligible for administrative fines to such offenses as exceeding the speed limit by 10 mph or less, failure to signal intentions to turn, and running red lights or stop signs.
Cities and counties still would need to adopt ordinances before they could issue tickets. They could keep the revenue.
Violators would have the option to contest the penalties and have offenses charged under state laws.
For House bill status, call (651) 296-6646.
The Senate version of the bill - SF1008 - is in the Senate Transportation Committee.