The lead sponsor of legislation that would allow officers in Arkansas to pull over drivers for not wearing seat belts says he’ll also call on police agencies to collect data on the race of motorists they stop for the violation.
Two years after civil rights advocates opposed his proposal to make seat belt violations a primary offense, Sen. Hank Wilkins IV said he hopes to allay their concerns that the measure would open the door to targeting racial minorities.
An advocate of policies to stop racial profiling, Wilkins in 2007 saw the same groups that once sided with him opposing his seat belt law. His proposal, which would have opened up another $9.5 million in federal funds for the state, was rejected by a House panel after being approved in the Senate.
Wilkins said he plans to file a companion bill this week that would require some police departments to collect data on motorists pulled over for not wearing a seat belt. Wilkins has already filed his primary seat belt law proposal, which he hopes to bring before a Senate committee later this month.
“We will have a methodology where we can collect information to really see if there is racial profiling,” said Wilkins, D-Pine Bluff. “I am convinced that racial profiling in and of itself does not outweigh the need to save lives by encouraging people to wear their seat belts.”
In 2003, Wilkins successfully pushed for legislation requiring law enforcement agencies to establish policies prohibiting officers from relying on race, ethnicity, national origin or religion in deciding whom to pull over. Wilkins, however, found the NAACP and other civil rights advocates opposing the move because they said it could allow for harassment of black and minority drivers.
Dale Charles, the head of the state NAACP, said he still can’t support the primary seat belt law even with the companion bill. Charles said he would rather Wilkins push for the collection of data on motorist stops first then push for the seat belt law.
“I’m still trying to figure out how he has gone from one side to the other that quick,” Charles said. “You fight hard to get a law on the books to address racial profiling. But on the other hand, you sponsor legislation two sessions in a row that makes it easier to profile blacks and Hispanics.”
Wilkins, however, has won over at least one opponent of his past attempts for a stricter seat belt law. Rep. Fred Allen, D-North Little Rock, voted against the measure when it came before a House committee in 2007 but is now listed as a co-sponsor of the bill.
“I think that the good of the bill outweighs what some people think will happen,” Allen said.
Currently there are 26 states that have primary seat belt laws, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Arkansas would be open to nearly $9.5 million in federal money if it enacts a primary seat belt law by June 30, according to the agency.