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  Home Page » News » Seatbelt Measure Passes First Vote

Seat-belt measure passes first vote

by Joe Hanel
Herald Denver Bureau DENVER - State Senators moved quickly on a bill that lets police officers pull over drivers for not wearing seat belts.

Senate Bill 296 breezed through its first hearing Tuesday afternoon, but it hit its first opposition Wednesday in the Senate, when some members opposed it on civil-liberties grounds.

Despite the opposition, the bill passed its initial vote. Senators signaled their preference by standing or sitting. Hesperus Democrat Jim Isgar stood with the bill's supporters. A formal roll call vote was not recorded.

Seat belts are required by current law. But police officers can issue a seat-belt ticket only if they pull over a driver for some other offense.

Aurora Democrat Morgan Carroll joined with several conservative Republicans to fight the bill. It was largely the same coalition that joined last week to oppose a bill to collect DNA from people arrested of felonies.

Carroll said the bill is an invitation to racial profiling by police.

"When we open up the door to pretext stops, who do you think gets stopped more often?" Carroll said.

Republicans said it allows further government intrusion in matters of personal choice.

"How far would we be away from monitoring health habits, dietary habits?" said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield.

Sen. Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, urged a "yes" vote after telling senators that his neighbor was killed Tuesday night in a traffic accident.

"This is a matter of life and death," Shaffer said.

The federal government will give Colorado a one-time grant of $12 million if it passes the law this year. But similar seat-belt bills have failed in previous years, despite the promise of federal money.

"We're desperate for money, but some things are not for sale," Carroll said.

jhanel@durangoherald.com