ACLU Press Release: House Passes Traffic Stops Bill

FEAR-List Bulletin posted by Matt Elrod, 4/4/98

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 24, 1998
http://www.aclu.org/news/n032498e.html

WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives passed legislation today that would begin to address the national epidemic of racially motivated traffic stops. The legislation, which would encourage police departments to keep detailed records of traffic stops, including the race and ethnicity of the person stopped, was passed on a voice vote.

"We are heartened by passage of this bill, which is a small step toward addressing the problem of racially motivated traffic stops that plagues our nation's roadways," said Solange Bitol, ACLU Legislative Counsel. "We are hopeful this legislation will document what African-Americans throughout the country are already well aware of: the practice of stopping drivers simply because of the color of their skin is too common of a problem," Bitol said.

Under the legislation, the Justice Department is responsible for compiling a report detailing the results of the statistic gathering and sending it to Congress.

Although welcoming the bill, the ACLU noted that during committee markup the bill was weakened by an amendment that prevents the Justice Department report from being used in anti-discrimination lawsuits. The amendment, sponsored by Representative Canady, R-FL, was passed on a party line vote.

"While we are pleased that the report will provide a systematic documentation of the discrimination African-Americans face when they get behind the wheel, it's a shame that committee Republicans ruled out an avenue so vital to holding officers accountable for their actions," Bitol said.

ACLU offices across the country have dealt with complaints of discrimination from African-American drivers. The Maryland ACLU is engaged in a class-action suit against the Maryland State Police Department over traffic stops on I-95. A study of police stops on one strip of this major interstate found that 73 percent of the cars stopped and searched were driven by African-Americans while they made up only 14 percent of the people driving along the interstate.