Drag racers might lose their vehicles if State Representative Shanda Yates (I-Whole Foods) has her way.
Ms. Yates authored a bill, HB #1272, that will toughen penalties for drag racing.
Drag racing is illegal in Mississippi, carrying a fine of $250-$1,000 and/or up to 48 hours in jail on a first offense. However, drag racing has gotten out of control in Jackson. Hence the bill.
HB #1272 adds this little penalty to Mississippi's drag racing law:
(d) In addition to the penalties described in this subsection (2) for violation of this section, any vehicle used in violation of this section shall be forfeited to the law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction in which the violation occurred and sold in the manner provided by law for property forfeited to a law enforcement agency.
Ms. Yates said law enforcement official asked her to craft a bill that would give them the power to seize vehicles used in drag racing.
The bill is assigned to the House Judiciary "A" Committee.
19 comments:
But what if they are drag racing stolen vehicles?
Will JPD enforce the proposed law, I doubt it…
It's not drag racing, it's street racing.
It is already illegal and nothing is being done. So let's put a stiffer law on the books....so nothing will be done. Want to stop it, enforce what is already on the books. The rest is just political show or a weak attempt to show you earned a paycheck.
12:05 The stolen cars would be returned to the owners.
Please don't take away the races. Seeing the amateur race footage is one of my few highlights I enjoy. It may be dangerous, but at least its more wholesome than a Kroger throwdown. There's worse things going on, and as long as the street is empty and it's late at night, I have no problem with it.
I see much worse and more dangerous daily on 55, and 220.
12:32 - Since you know nothing about law enforcement and how officers feel when these dickbags pay the fines (because they have plenty of money to do so), let me educate you. Heftier penalties and mandatory enforcement with results that deal a significant blow to the offender, has the power to change morale and raise interest in enforcement. Besides, they do it inside the CCID as well and Capitol Police doesn't fuck around. This is a good bill.
What the bill doesn't do is define drag racing. Leaving the language this ambiguous opens the door to vague interpretations. I don't want to lose my truck because the car next to me accelerated fast like I always do. Hopefully that will get fleshed out a little more on the floor.
Also, I think if law enforcement enforced the current laws, this wouldn't be a big enough issue to pass yet another law that intends to punish one thing but has a plethora of unintended, and potentially abused, consequences.
JPD wont enforce this, and if they did accidentally arrest a racer the joke-judges would issue a strongly worded poem of discouragement to the offender so they can promptly return to the next stolen race car event.
Without real LEO or Judicial oversight this is just a waste of time, Shandra.
What if they are drag racing stolen vehicles IN DRAG with a LITTERBOX?!
Jackson should build a racetrack for them to race on
A public race track is the answer
Close 220 Sunday nights and turn it into a race track. Young people need a place to race
Do us all a favor and stand in front of the drag racers.
What if the driver is not racing anyone in particular, just driving 140 mph down the highway weaving in and out of traffic? Will the vehicle be confiscated in that case? Even if they were in a race with someone they could claim that they were not.
Yet another example of lawmakers frustrated by law breakers so they pass another law for them to break. You cannot confiscate a vehicle until you stop them and that’s not even happening under existing law.
I agree plus it’s fun
I remember how people were bitching about us cruising McDowell rd back in the day. Those were some fun nights.
Make it more illegaler!
Post a Comment