This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Salt Lake Tribune, in an effort to allow legislators an opportunity to explain why bills they are sponsoring are important to them, is asking state leaders to talk about their measures for a feature called "In Their Own Words." The videos will appear regularly during the legislative session.
SB128 would allow for police officers to issue citations for not wearing a seat belt as a primary offense in zones with speed limits over 55 mph. As the law stands now, drivers may be cited for not wearing a seat belt only as a secondary offense. That means someone can be ticketed for being unbuckled only if they're pulled over for some other violation.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake City, says although she faces resistance from some with concerns of personal liberty, this bill will reduce costs to the state in health care and accident investigations.
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