A bill sponsored by Senate Transportation Committee Chairman John Rafferty, R-Berks County, is the latest attempt to authorize radar for municipal police in Pennsylvania, according to an August 20th pennlive.com report.

The state police have used radar to enforce speed limits on Pennsylvania highways since 1962, but municipal and regional police forces have never been granted access to the technology. Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation that does not permit local police officers to use radar.

Rafferty's panel held a hearing on the bill this week, but he said he will likely have to reintroduce his proposal next year because time is running out to pass it in this legislative session.

Radar units can generate erroneous readings for several reasons, and in practice, few of them are checked for accuracy as often as they should be. The National Motorists Association encourages concerned citizens to contact their State Senator listed here, or Transportation Committee Members listed here, to voice their opposition to this reversal of long-standing policy.