The House has rejected a bill that would have dropped the requirement for seat belts use among people 18 and older.
That – after the House Transportation Committee voted 8 to 6 in favor of the bill.
"Is it proper for the state to impose laws that protects one from their own decisions?" said Rep. Rick Becker (R-Bismarck). "Certainly, there are many more lives taken because of obseity, alcoholism, smoking, but we don't outlaw those."
Some of the supporters say it was introduced in response to a Senate bill that would make not wearing your seat belt a “primary” offence. It’s now a “secondary” offense, in that you have to be stopped for something else before you could be ticketed for not buckling up.
"Let's not allow politics to play with the lives of our North Dakota citizens," said Rep. Emily O'Brien (R-Grand Forks).
Both the measure's supporters and opponents acknowledged seat belt use saves lives.
The bill failed on a 66-28 vote.
