The state Senate has reconsidered its action – and passed the bill to make not wearing your seat belt a primary offense.
That means you can be stopped for not being buckled up. Right now, the law is “secondary” – meaning you have to be stopped for something else before you can be ticketed. The fine would be $50.
The vote was 24 to 23.
Sen. Scott Meyer (R-Grand Forks) was absent for Monday’s vote, meaning the bill tied on a 23-23 vote. Meyer is a co-sponsor. And he made the motion for reconsideration. It allowed him to make his argument for the bill.
Meyer told a story about what happened to him 20 years ago, when he was a “farm kid.”
"It was during harvest," Meyer said. "I was helping my father. And like all of us get at harvest time, I was in a little bit of a rush. I was driving a vehicle, going down a gravel road, maybe going a little too fast, and something told me I needed to put that seat belt on. Two minutes later, I'm rolling across a ditch. That seat belt saved my life, gave me the opportunity to be here today to vote on this bill."
Opponents talked about "freedom of choice" when it comes to buckling up.
"I'm on the side of personal liberty," said Sen. David Rust (R-Tioga).
Before the vote, Sen. Larry Luick (R-Fairmount) offered an amendment, to exempt drivers who are travelling at 24 mph or less from the "primary enforcement" law.
"I, too, stand for the safety of anyone riding in vehicles," Luick said. "However, coming from small communities, sometimes we jump in our vehicles, and it's a nuisance to buckle up to drive a few blocks down the street, where you're going to be driving mainly 15 miles an hour."
"That doesn't stop someone who may be driving 50 mph from hitting you, when you're driving 24," said Sen. Erin Oban (D-Bismarck). "Best of luck if that's the situation that you're in."
Unless the bill is reconsidered again, it will now be considered in the House.
