Support SB296
Senate Committee on Judiciary
SB296 Prohibits police from stopping a car for the sole purpose of determining whether the driver is committing a low-level traffic violation or issuing a citation for a low-level traffic violation. It also makes any evidence acquired by police during or after a traffic stop conducted in violation of this section not admissible in court.
Data shows that traffic stops increase the potential for dangerous, and often fatal, police encounters. For example, Byron Williams was murdered by LVMPD in 2019 after he was stopped for riding his bicycle without a safety light.
Sponsored by
To:
Senate Committee on Judiciary
From:
[Your Name]
We are writing to support SB296.
Low-level traffic violations pose a minimal risk to our community, and are often the byproduct of poverty. They are not indicators that an individual poses a danger to others.
However, data shows that traffic stops increase the potential for dangerous, and often fatal, police encounters. For example, Byron Williams was murdered by LVMPD in 2019 after he was stopped for riding his bicycle without a safety light.
Data also shows that low-level traffic violations have often been used by police as cover for racial profiling. These discriminatory practices inflate the incarceration rate in our community, and especially target Black people.
We believe that a safe community is one that reduces police interactions. This bill limits police’s ability to use low-level traffic violations as a way to abuse their power, and keeps people safe.