NMA Kansas Alert: Speed Bill Still Alive in Legislature
After failing to get out of a Senate committee, a proposal to increase the speed limit in Kansas is still alive, but with serious complications. (See Kansas City Star online article from March 23rd.)
For the second time, the Kansas House has passed a bill to raise the speed limit on some state highways to 75 mph. It was tacked onto a Senate bill about lightweight vehicles and sent back for a fuller debate.
On Wednesday, the Senate refused to accept the House changes, and the bill is headed to a conference committee to resolve differences.
The negotiations will be complicated, because the House added a measure that would require cities to roll back their seat-belt fines to comply with state law.
State law now sets seat-belt fines at $5 — increasing to $10 this summer — but some cities have used their home rule powers to levy fines ranging from $30 to $85. Lenexa, for example, levies fines of $60, including court costs.
Obviously, this particular legislative process has become exceptionally complicated. Nevertheless, if you believe highway speed limits should be raised in Kansas, then this is a good opportunity for you to contact your state senator and tell them so.
