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PRESS RELEASE: State Rep. Eric Burlison Introduces Bill to Protect Missouri Residents from Predatory Speed Traps in Other States

 

  Missouri House of Representatives
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Jan. 9, 2015

 

 

CONTACT:  Rep. Eric Burlison

573-751-0136

 

 State Rep. Eric Burlison Introduces Bill to Protect Missouri

Residents from Predatory Speed Traps in Other States

 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — State Rep. Eric Burlison wants to protect Missouri residents from being victimized by predatory speed trap schemes in other states. He filed legislation this week that would require the Missouri Department of Revenue to refuse to comply with attempts by other states to impose or collect civil fines resulting from a speed camera or red light camera.

“This is a growing problem across the nation as more municipalities concoct these predatory schemes to extort money from innocent travelers. The goal of my legislation is simply to protect Missourians from what is nothing more than an unscrupulous revenue grab,” said Burlison, R-Springfield.

Burlison noted that the state of South Dakota approved similar legislation in 2014. The governor and legislature worked together to protect South Dakota residents from a notorious speed trap across the state border in Sioux City, Iowa. Their solution, which is now law, prevents the photo enforcement companies who develop the speed trap systems from accessing the driver’s license records they need to issue citations. Burlison said his bill would offer a similar protection to Missouri residents.

“This is a very simple but effective solution that empowers our revenue department to say no to requests from these companies as they look for the information they need to issue these fines,” said Burlison. “This entire speed trap scheme has been plagued by corruption as we even saw the vice president of one of the most prominent revenue-camera contractors admit he bribed officials in a dozen states to install the cameras. This sort of behavior cannot be tolerated and I will not stand idly by as Missourians are victimized by these corrupt schemes.”

Burlison’s legislation is HB 421.

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