Jun. 30, 2016
HARRISBURG – Vehicle registration stickers may soon be a thing of the past in Pennsylvania, as authorities shift to automated license plate readers (ALPRs) to help enforce vehicle registration compliance. Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) has introduced legislation that would curb potential abuses of this new technology and protect otherwise innocent drivers who may have missed a renewal deadline.
House Bill 2240, known as the “Forgetful Driver Forgiveness Act,” would grant motorists who are stopped due to an expired vehicle registration, driver’s license or inspection sticker a 10-day grace period to complete their renewals and avoid fines, as long as the registration was no more than 30 days past due and the driver was not cited for other offenses.
“Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) are impressive law enforcement tools, but they should not be used as a revenue generator for departments or municipalities,” said Diamond. “Still, as their usage increases, so does the risk that mass scanning of license plates could be used to make a quick buck rather than bring criminals to justice. If adopted, my proposal would help prevent this from happening and ensure that the technology is employed in a more legitimate manner.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced earlier this year that vehicle registration stickers would be phased out by 2017. The department was authorized to make the shift in a sweeping transportation bill adopted in 2013. PennDOT maintains the move will save millions in future costs.
Diamond added, “Officers would still be able to stop vehicles for expired registrations. Expired tags have often led to the apprehension of fugitives. However, there is no public safety interest in ginning up revenues from otherwise law-abiding citizens who have merely overlooked a renewal deadline.”
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Representative Russ Diamond
102nd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Ryan Travis, 717.260.6335
rtravis@pahousegop.com
RepDiamond.com /
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