HLS 16RS-3043 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 184
BY REPRESENTATIVE LANCE HARRIS
MOTOR VEHICLES: Authorizes and directs the Department of Public Safety and
Corrections, public safety services, to analyze compliance with certain requirements
for operation of a motor vehicle and traffic laws
1 A RESOLUTION
2To authorize and direct the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to analyze
3 compliance with certain requirements for operation of a motor vehicle and traffic
4 laws since penalties have been increased and to report the findings to the Senate and
5 House committees on transportation, highways and public works and to the member
6 of the House of Representatives representing District 25 on or before January 1,
7 2017.
8 WHEREAS, the purpose of traffic regulations is to promote the safe use of the roads,
9streets, and highways of the state; and
10 WHEREAS, the intent for assigning penalties for traffic infractions has been to
11discourage violations by linking monetary consequences to undesirable driver behavior; and
12 WHEREAS, the imposed penalties serve as a deterrent, protect residents of and
13visitors to the state, and potentially dissuade an offender's repeat behavior; and
14 WHEREAS, in 2015, one thousand seventy-four vehicles were involved in traffic
15related fatal accidents, which resulted in six hundred eighty-one fatalities in Louisiana; and
16 WHEREAS, of the two million nine hundred seventy-two thousand seven hundred
17twenty-four licensed drivers in the state of Louisiana, approximately four hundred eighty
18thousand do not meet the compulsory motor vehicle liability security requirements provided
19by law; and
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HR NO. 184
1 WHEREAS, the legislature has increased fines, in some instances doubling or
2tripling the current financial penalties, and implemented court approved community service
3requirements for violation of certain traffic offenses; and
4 WHEREAS, the legislature has increased penalties and reinstatement fees related to
5compulsory motor vehicle security, which include but are not limited to operating a motor
6vehicle without the required motor vehicle liability security, and for failing to provide
7required proof of compliance as established in Act 641, and operating a bus without
8insurance as established in Act 559 of the 2014 Regular Legislative Session; and
9 WHEREAS, the legislature has increased penalties for violations of traffic laws,
10which include but are not limited to driving while intoxicated offenses as established in Act
11385, careless operation of a motor vehicle as established in Act 650, and use of certain
12cellular devices while traveling through school zones as established in Act 410 of the 2014
13Regular Legislative Session; school bus driver's operating a vehicle while intoxicated as
14established in Act 137 of the 2013 Regular Legislative Session; overtaking and passing
15school buses as established in Act 259, safety belt violations in Orleans Parish as established
16in Act 413, driving while intoxicated offenses as established in Act 571, and operating a
17vehicle while intoxicated as established in Act 470 of the 2012 Regular Legislative Session;
18and
19 WHEREAS, the purpose of the increased penalties has been touted as a strategy to
20eliminate traffic-related infractions and to ultimately reduce traffic-related deaths.
21 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
22Legislature of Louisiana does hereby authorize and direct the Department of Public Safety
23and Corrections, public safety services, to analyze compliance with certain requirements for
24operation of a motor vehicle and traffic laws for which penalties have been increased to
25determine if such increase has resulted in enhanced driver compliance.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study conducted by the department shall
27include consideration of the relationship between the amount of the fine or severity of the
28penalty imposed and the number of traffic offenses that occur, in particular driving while
29intoxicated offenses, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, safety belt violations, use of
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HR NO. 184
1cellular devices in school zones, careless operation of a vehicle, and failure to obtain and/or
2maintain compulsory motor vehicle security.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study conducted by the department shall
4include a determination of the following:
5 (1) Whether increased penalties for traffic-related infractions have lead to fewer
6traffic citations, fewer motor vehicle accidents, and fewer traffic-related fatalities?
7 (2) Whether increased penalties for traffic-related infractions lead to a change in
8driver behavior since the increased penalties have been in effect?
9 (3) Whether the increase in compulsory insurance reinstatement fees has yielded an
10increase in compliance with compulsory motor vehicle liability security?
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Public Safety and
12Corrections, public safety services, shall prepare and provide a written report to the Senate
13and House committees on transportation, highways and public works and to the member of
14the House of Representatives representing District 25 on or before January 1, 2017.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the
16Department of Public Safety and Corrections, public safety services.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 184 Original 2016 Regular Session Lance Harris
Authorizes and directs the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections, public safety services, to
analyze compliance with compulsory motor vehicle security and traffic laws to determine
whether such increase in penalties has increased compliance.
Requires the study include whether increased penalties for violations of traffic laws and
compulsory motor vehicle security requirements have yielded an increase in compliance by
La. drivers, and resulted in fewer traffic accidents and fatalities.
Requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections, public safety services, to submit a
written report of its findings to the Senate and House committees on transportation,
highways and public works and to the member of the House of Representatives representing
District 25 on or before Jan. 1, 2017.
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