The Senate voted Monday to make it easier to beat a speeding ticket in Georgia.
Senate Bill 134 would eliminate a provision in state law that gives law enforcement agencies the benefit of doubt if they clock someone speeding at more than 17 miles per hour over the established speed limit.
State law already allows someone to challenge their ticket in situations they feel is a speed trap, if speeding fines make up more than 40 percent of an agency’s budget. Under the bill, those agencies couldn’t argue excessive speed as part of their defense.
"This will encourage truth in ticketing and help eliminate speed traps," said Sen. Jesse Stone, R-Waynesboro, the bill's sponsor.
An analysis by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last year found the worst "ticket traps" to be in rural Georgia — including a string of cities and counties along I-75 in South Georgia that tap Disney-bound tourists and other pass-through traffic.
SB 134 passed on a 52-2 vote and now goes to the state House for consideration.
About the Author
