Howard Working to Make Roads Safer, Giving Law Enforcement More Tools

HARTFORD- State Representative Greg Howard (R-43) proposed an amendment Thursday night to better assist law enforcement do their job. 

The legislation, House Bill 7132, decreases the standard for what constitutes certain license plate, headlight, or windshield equipment violations.  The bill also allows an officer to stop a motor vehicle for a violation of the laws against using cannabis in a moving vehicle if the officer sees the operator actively consuming cannabis and smells burnt cannabis.

Current state law prohibits state and local police from stopping a vehicle solely for these violations. The bill allows them to do so if the officer sees the driver actively consuming cannabis and smells burnt cannabis odor. 

Additionally, Rep. Howard proposed an amendment to the bill on consent searches which was defeated 63-79.

“I have used my 23 years of experience as a police officer and five years in the General Assembly to actively pursue good thoughtful public policy for the state of Connecticut and allow police officers to do their jobs and keep the residents in the state safe,” said Rep. Howard, the Ranking Member of the Public Safety.

Right now, law enforcement officials may not ask an operator of a motor vehicle to provide any documentation or identification other than an operator’s license, motor vehicle registration, insurance identity card or other documentation or identification directly related to the stop, when the motor vehicle has been stopped solely for a motor vehicle violation, unless there exists probable cause.

Rep. Howard during debate laid out an example of seeing a Sawzall in the passenger or back seat of the car and asking the driver of the vehicle for consent to search after a motor vehicle violation traffic stop with reports of stolen catalytic converters in the area. Right now, law enforcement is barred from asking for a search of the vehicle. 

The amendment LCO 8089 would have provided that when a law enforcement official has reasonable and articulable suspicion that weapons, contraband or other evidence of a crime is contained within the vehicle, the officer could ask for consent to search the vehicle. A law enforcement official who solicits consent to search a motor vehicle shall, whether or not the consent is granted, would have to complete a police report not later than forty-eight hours after such solicitation, documenting the reasonable and articulable suspicion for the solicitation of consent.