In Connecticut, Senator Welcomes Motor Vehicle Safety Violation Bill

State Senator Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) welcomed the passage into law of Senate Bill 537, which creates a $10 surcharge on a variety of motor vehicle violations in order to increase driver safety at the local level. The bill was signed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

"Local police departments spend untold millions of dollars every year chasing down speeders and other unsafe drivers," Sen. Duff said. "They invest in the latest radar and laser technologies, train their staff, maintain their cruisers, erect warning signs, run special patrols and try to educate the public about the benefits of safe driving. And for all the tickets they hand out, they don't receive a penny. I was proud to vote for this bill, which returns a small portion of each infraction to the municipality in order to help offset the cost of its enforcement activities."

S.B. 537 adds a $10 surcharge on specified motor vehicle violations and requires the state to remit that revenue to the municipality where the violations occurred. The surcharge, effective July 1, applies to anyone who pays a fine for any of 35 motor vehicle violations, including speeding, reckless driving, driving under the influence, making an illegal turn, failing to yield right of way, failing to stop for a school bus (first offense) and failing to stop at a stop sign.

According to testimony presented in favor of S.B. 537 at its March public hearing, in fiscal year 2004-05 there were 378,000 tickets issued statewide for $27.7 million. More than 50% of these tickets were issued by local police forces that stopped violators, did the paperwork and went to court, but didn't see a penny of that $27.7 million.

The non-partisan Office of Fiscal analysis determined that S.B. 537 would result in a net revenue gain of $1.5 million for Connecticut's towns and cities while incurring a "minimal" cost increase for the state Judicial Department to modify its computer and accounting systems. The law, which passed the legislature on a combined 151-32 vote, isn't expected to increase the number of contested tickets the state deals with.