logo
Washington Senate passes bill to require speed limiting devices for habitual speeders

Washington Senate passes bill to require speed limiting devices for habitual speeders

Yahoo16-04-2025

A damaged vehicle is seen in the aftermath of a June 2024 crash in Thurston County, in which the driver of another vehicle was suspected of speeding and driving under the influence. (Photo courtesy of Thurston County Sheriff Office)
The state Senate passed a bill Tuesday attempting to stop habitual speeders in their tracks.
Passed on a 40-8 vote, House Bill 1596 would require certain drivers to install an 'intelligent speed assistance' device that limits their car to the posted speed limit of the area they are in. Drivers with the device would be allowed to exceed the speed limit up to three times a month.
Similar to how ignition interlock devices are mandated for people with a history of drunk driving, a person would have a speed limiter if they get a restricted license that requires one, during a probation period after getting their license suspended for reckless driving or excessive speeding, or if they have been ordered to have a device by a court.
'Installing intelligent speed assistance devices in vehicles will guarantee that drivers physically cannot exceed the speed limit,' said Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, during the floor debate.
'It is also a reminder to the drivers of their dangerous driving behavior, and hopefully will serve as a tool for lasting behavior change,' he added.
'We're losing family members, we're losing lost souls to those who are intentionally choosing to drive fast. And this will provide an opportunity to save our neighbors and increase our public safety,' said prime sponsor Rep. Mari Leavitt, D-University Place, after the bill passed.
Leavitt pointed to state data showing fatal car crashes have been on an upward trend since 2019, with a growing number of them involving speeding.
She was particularly moved by a crash in King County last March that killed 38-year-old Andrea Smith and three children. A man was accused of causing the crash by driving well over 100 miles an hour in a 40 mph zone. He pleaded guilty earlier this month.
The bill was titled 'The BEAM Act' in honor of those who died in the crash.
'BEAM is an acronym for the first letter of the first name of the four who died last March in Renton, so Boyd, Eloise, Andrea and Matilda,' Leavitt explained.
Eight Republicans ultimately voted against the legislation. Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Waitsburg, said while he supports the intent of stopping habitual speeders, he had concerns about oversight and monitoring 'creeping into others' with one or two isolated incidents.
'There could be an instance where you have to speed, a medical emergency where something is happening – maybe your wife's having a baby and you're exceeding the speed limit and then you get caught like that,' he said.
The bill will go back to the House to concur with amendments made in the Senate before heading over to the governor.
'I've heard from the governor's office that they're very excited about this bill and about the ability to save lives,' Leavitt said. 'So I'm feeling very confident that we'll get it over the finish line this year.'
This article was produced as part of the Murrow News Fellowship program, a collaborative effort between news outlets statewide and Washington State University.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Non-citizen LA rioters could be deported under new House bill
Non-citizen LA rioters could be deported under new House bill

Fox News

time24 minutes ago

  • Fox News

Non-citizen LA rioters could be deported under new House bill

FIRST ON FOX: Some House Republicans are now considering whether non-citizens who are found to have participated in violent anti-law enforcement riots have a right to stay in the United States. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, is leading a bill that would make non-U.S. citizens convicted of "actual or attempted assault, battery, or use of force" against any law enforcement officer eligible for deportation. Any immigrants deported under the legislation, if enacted, would be permanently barred from the United States. "The thing about breaking the law is, there's effectively a waiving of your constitutional rights that's sort of inherent in our system, right? When you go to prison, you're losing your liberty," Crenshaw told Fox News Digital in an interview Tuesday. "So this is a very normal thing, and in the case of say, people who are here legally, but then committing acts of violence – in this case, we're being really specific, during a national emergency, committing assaults against police officers, and destruction of property – that should have an effect and be on the list of things that allows for revocation of your status." Early bill text obtained by Fox News Digital shows the bill would apply to legal permanent residents, people here illegally, and beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy. It would go into effect when presidents, governors or local leaders make emergency or major disaster declarations. It comes amid continued tensions in Los Angeles, where protests against Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations turned violent across the city this weekend. Rioters were seen burning American flags and cars stood on the street in flames, while police used pepper spray and rubber bullets on crowds outside federal buildings. President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard despite the objections of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and ordered 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles as well. Those Marines will be training in Seal Beach for a few more days before deployment, a U.S. defense official told Fox News. Democrats have accused the Trump administration of escalating violence in Los Angeles, while Republicans argue that federal action is necessary based on the state's handling of the situation. Crenshaw said his legislation would help the administration restore order during such times. "What it would do is, it would give the administration the option to say, yeah we've rounded all these people up, half of them are U.S. citizens, okay, you're going to jail for rioting. Maybe another quarter are illegals, well that's easy you can deport them," he said. "But what about the other quarter? You know, that might be…a number of legal aliens here rioting against America for enforcing our immigration laws. In our minds, you've violated that sort of social contract with the United States at that point." Crenshaw said he spoke with the White House and that officials there were "excited" about the bill. The White House said it would not get in front of the president on legislative matters when reached for comment by Fox News Digital. Currently, legal U.S. residents, including green card holders, can have their status revoked by an immigration judge if they are found guilty of certain crimes or are found to have fraudulently misrepresented themselves in their application for residence. Crimes that would make legal U.S. visa holders and green card holders eligible for deportation currently include murder, drug trafficking and rape.

Elon Musk's Foreign Visitors Were Tracked by US: Report
Elon Musk's Foreign Visitors Were Tracked by US: Report

Miami Herald

time37 minutes ago

  • Miami Herald

Elon Musk's Foreign Visitors Were Tracked by US: Report

U.S. government agencies monitored visits by foreign nationals to properties owned by Elon Musk over concerns about potential efforts to influence the tech billionaire, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The investigation, which took place in 2022 and 2023, involved the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department, according to the report. It focused on individuals from Eastern Europe and other regions who had visited Musk properties in the U.S. Musk, the world's richest man and head of companies with sensitive national security ties—including SpaceX, which holds top-secret contracts with the U.S. government—was until recently a close adviser to President Donald Trump. He was appointed as a special government employee at the start of Trump's second term and took on the task of slashing the federal budget. That alliance collapsed last week following a public feud between the two men. Federal officials investigated whether individuals from Eastern Europe and other unspecified regions were trying to gain influence over Musk, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal and also reported by Reuters. The FBI was briefed on the inquiry, which ended without any charges. The investigation came about over concerns about foreign nationals close to Musk, especially because of his leadership roles in companies with sensitive government ties. Musk has top-secret security clearance through SpaceX, which handles U.S. national security projects like satellite launches and defense systems. The Journal noted the probe began before Trump's current term and their public split in early June. Even while Musk and Trump collaborated in recent months, tensions reportedly simmered over Musk's connections to foreigners. According to the Journal, staff at Musk's super PAC—formed last year to support Trump—grew uneasy about the foreign individuals accompanying him to meetings and events. Critics, including Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon, have long warned that Musk's international ties—especially in China—could pose conflicts of interest and security risks. The Journal also reported that Musk has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022. Due to Musk's foreign associations, SpaceX lawyers advised him not to pursue a higher security clearance, fearing it could lead to scrutiny or even revocation of his existing clearance. The Journal said Musk did not respond to requests for comment and the FBI declined to Comment. President Donald Trump, when asked about Musk's potential donations to Democrats after their feud, told NBC News: "He will have to pay very serious consequences if he does that." Elon Musk, on X amid the public falling out with the president: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate." If DHS, DOJ, or the Department of Defense determine that Musk's relationships pose a security risk, his top-secret clearance could be reassessed. The WSJ noted that legal advisers at SpaceX had already warned against seeking higher clearance due to Musk's foreign ties. Update 6/10/25, 11:46 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks. Related Articles Donald Trump Speaks About Elon Musk's Drug UseDonald Trump Reveals Plans For His Tesla After Elon Musk FeudSteve Bannon Says Elon Musk Should Be Investigated By Special CounselHow Elon Musk Is Responding to LA Riots During Feud With Trump 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

TN Republicans' bill would oust officials who release 'confidential' immigration enforcement details
TN Republicans' bill would oust officials who release 'confidential' immigration enforcement details

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

TN Republicans' bill would oust officials who release 'confidential' immigration enforcement details

Top Tennessee Republican lawmakers have proposed a bill that would make it a felony and grounds for removal if public officials jeopardize the safety of federal law enforcement officers or disrupt federal immigration enforcement by revealing confidential operation details. The bill, filed by House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson on June 9, comes after a weeklong operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Nashville in early May. The operation led to hundreds of traffic stops, in coordination with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and nearly 200 arrests. Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell has been under scrutiny from state and federal Republican leaders over his response to the arrests. During the operation, O'Connell updated an existing executive order that requires city departments to report communications with federal immigration officials to the mayor's office, tightening the timeline for those reports. Even in its original version, the executive order included a provision that those communications be posted online for transparency. When O'Connell's office posted that list in late May, it originally included the names of some officials who called. Those names have since been removed from the version of the spreadsheet posted online. During the sweeps in Nashville, O'Connell also repeatedly asked federal officials to release the names and charges of the people arrested, but to no avail. Some community members, meanwhile, were outspoken in their opposition to the operation. Immigrant rights groups and other Nashvillians showed up to protest at Nashville's ICE office not long after the sweeps began on May 4. That opposition extended to further protests several weeks later, an appearance from New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and a volunteer effort to monitor and verify ICE activity. U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles and other D.C. Republicans have since called for a federal investigation into O'Connell, which was officially initiated on May 30. Meanwhile, Sexton called for O'Connell to rescind his executive order, saying it risks the safety of federal immigration agents. "The people of Tennessee expect their elected leaders to protect law enforcement — not endanger them," Johnson said in a June 9 news release. "When a public official like Mayor O'Connell chooses political activism over public safety, especially by interfering with federal immigration enforcement, he has no business holding office in this state." Johnson said he hopes the legislation "sends a message" to O'Connell and other "blue city" leaders that may act similarly. 'Mayor O'Connell's public refusal to rescind his executive order makes the need for this legislation unmistakably clear to prevent future political defiance that undermines the rule of law and puts law enforcement at risk,' Johnson said in the release. Sexton and Johnson did not provide any examples of O'Connell's interference with immigration enforcement operations. The bill would make it a Class E felony for state or local officials to "negligently release" information that identifies officers tasked with immigration enforcement and paves the way to oust those who violate the law, according to the release. Additionally, it expands provisions under the Tennessee Public Records Act to protect undercover officers and sensitive enforcement activity and beefs up penalties for unauthorized disclosures of protected law enforcement information. The bill is backed by top Senate Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile, Republican Caucus Chair Ken Yager and Finance Committee Chair Bo Watson. It is set to be taken up in the 2026 legislative session. O'Connell's office had not responded to The Tennessean's request for comment by 11 a.m. on June 10. The move by Tennessee Republicans comes a few days after U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, introduced legislation to make it illegal to 'dox' federal law enforcement officials. She said the bill is a direct response to the spreadsheet published by O'Connell's office detailing recent communications between city departments with federal immigration agents. Blackburn filed the Protecting Law Enforcement From Doxxing Act on June 4, explicitly naming O'Connell as the impetus. That bill would make it illegal to 'publish the name of a federal law enforcement officer with the intent to obstruct a criminal investigation or immigration operation.' An individual found guilty of doing so would face a fine and imprisonment of five years. In their joint news release on June 9, Sexton and Johnson praised Blackburn's efforts and say their proposed legislation complements her proposal. "Tennessee has always stood with law enforcement and we will not allow politically motivated actors to put officers' lives in danger simply to score political points with the far left," Sexton said in the release. "Tennessee will not become California, and Nashville will not become LA or San Francisco on our watch." Typically, "doxxing" refers to the act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organization, usually via the internet, such as their home addresses, private contact information and names of family members. As for the public availability of law enforcement officers' names, they are not typically considered private information. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TN bill would punish officials who reveal immigration enforcement details

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store