La. House Puts Brakes On St. Landry Speed Trap Bill

Proposed legislation by Shreveport area Representative Alan Seabaugh to designate the Town of Washington in St. Landry Parish as a speed trap has been defeated. Yesterday the full house took up Seabaugh's proposal that would limit the Town of Washington from collecting speeding violation money from motorist on I-49.

Seabaugh proposed legislation that would create official notification along the highway that motorist were approaching a known speed trap. The Town of Washington has earned this reputation by ticketing motorist who are in the slightest violation of the posted speed. Said Seabaugh,

"I even got an email from a guy in Baton Rouge, who was coming back from Dallas, got a ticket for going three miles over the speed limit,(this kind of enforcement)  affects the entire state, anyone who drives through that area."

Those comments were made to the Louisiana Radio Network. Who also reported the comments of State Representative Ledricka Thierry of St. Landry Parish who represents citizens in the Town of Washington.

"Two, three, four five miles over the speed limit, you are still speeding, you are still violating state law. If I drink and drive, and I'm tested at .09, .10, .11, I would be arrested."

Thierry suggested that Seabaugh's proposal would set a bad precedent telling officers not to enforce the law. The proposed legislation failed by a vote of 40-52.