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Monday, March 01, 2010

Ind. Courts - Continuing with "Senate bill intended to crack down on Marion County's traffic court" [Updated]

Updating this ILB entry from Feb. 25, reporting that SB 399 had passed the second house with amendments, Jon Murray of the Indianapolis Star has just posted online a "Behind Closed Doors" item published in yesterday's Star, but not made available online. The item concludes (but be sure to read it all):

[Marion County Traffic Court Judge Bill Young] has met with some sponsors, including the author, Sen. Michael Young (no relation), R-Indianapolis. Judge Young's concerns include uncertainty about which moving violations are covered and the reduction of judges' discretion.

Sen. Young doesn't foresee changing the bill's thrust. "I'm just going to let the judges work this out," he said, if it becomes law.

The senator has asked for a conference committee to firm up the bill's language. As of this afternoon, no meeting has been scheduled.

[Update at 5:22 PM] Note that HB 1154, which inter alia would "Provide that in addition to any judgment otherwise entered in Marion County for a traffic violation constituting an infraction, an additional judgment amount of not more than $35 may be entered for the traffic violation," is ready for enrollment, nw that the House todat concurred in the Senate amendments.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 1, 2010 02:40 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts