By Sarah Green
KHI News Service
TOPEKA, March 14
As many as half of Kansas teenagers don”t wear seat belts at all the times they should, but a bill on its way to the House for debate aims to change that.
The House Transportation Committee on Wednesday recommended Senate Bill 211 favorably to the upper chamber. The bill extends the state”s primary seat belt law to anyone under age 17 and raises the fine for seat belt offenses from a maximum of $10 to a $60 penalty.
Currently, drivers can be stopped and ticketed if officers see children ages 14 or under without seat belts. The offense is a so-called “primary” violation, which means a motorist can be stopped and ticketed for it.
Adults 18 and over must wear seat belts if riding in the front seat of a vehicle, but may only be ticketed if stopped for another reason.
Both the House and Senate transportation committees heard and amended separate versions of a primary seat belt bill, which originally included all drivers and passengers.
On Wednesday, the House committee amended the bill again to include a flat $60 penalty, which could carry additional court costs
a change from the Senate version, which specifically included court costs in the fine. The House committee also added, at the request of Rep. Vern Swanson, R-Clay Center, a definition of “motor vehicle” that includes heavy trucks.
An additional amendment offered by Rep. Terrie Huntington, R-Mission Hills, would have banned drivers ages 17 and younger from using electronic devices while driving. It did not pass.
House Transportation Committee Chairman Gary Hayzlett, R-Lakin, said the bill would likely go to a conference committee, but predicted the bill would fare well.
“If we pass the bill, it will be a major bill,” he said.
In other news:
The House Transportation Committee also
heard Senate Bill 294, which would implement a more intensive drivers licensing program for the state”s youngest drivers.
But there were too many questions for a quick vote, Hayzlett said, noting he wasn”t sure anything else would happen with the bill this session.
The Graduated Drivers License system recommended in the bill would raise the minimum driving age from 14 to 15, unless the young driver received a farm permit. It also would limit the number of teenage passengers riding with young drivers and restrict night-time driving.
Committee members expressed concerns about the amount of adult supervision time; the social implications for teenagers who might not be able to double-date, and the feasibility of the requirement of passing a drivers education class before a young driver could receive their license.
-Sarah Green is a staff writer for KHI News Service, which specializes in coverage of health issues facing Kansans. She can be reached at
sgreen@khi.org
or at 785-233-5443, ext. 118.