Mooo! We need more ways to milk and inconvenience the citizens.
Posted on 03/29/2011 11:49:50 AM PDT by BillKneer
In a bill being brought forward in the Texas Senate for testimony this week, The Woodlands State Senator Tommy Williams seeks to attack your 4th Amendment rights with a bill that calls for police checkpoints for proof of insurance. Sorry Senator, this is a bad idea. I am all for enforcement of the law. Especially the law requiring drivers to carry insurance on their motor vehicles and to provide proof of this insurance at appropriate times. However, police checkpoints for the purpose of making citizens prove they are not breaking the law is a bad idea and is unconstitutional.
SB 1700 will be heard in the Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday, March 30 in Rm. E1.016.
The 4th Amendment states, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
(Excerpt) Read more at patriotstatesman.com ...
This seems like a constitutional infringement in search of a problem. Instead, why not just demand that people present proof of insurance when they renew their license plate tags?
We, in FL, have to present proof of insurance at the license plate renewal.........
Texas has annual license plate renewals and annual safety inspections that both require “proof” of insurance in order to get the renewal. Problem is that drivers can go online or go to an insurance company and sign up for insurance and get the “proof of insurance” form - often without even paying for one month of insurance, and then simply not pay for the insurance policy. The “proof” of insurance becomes worthless.
That said, checkpoints are not the answer either. Drivers must provide proof of insurance if they are pulled over for traffic violations, or if they are in an accident. Don’t add to this by having checklists. Instead, if a driver is driving around without required liability insurance, impound the vehicle until a hefty fine is paid AND the driver provides documented proof not just of a policy but of a policy that has been paid in full for at least a six-month period. After a few such instances, drivers will carry the required insurance or be a lot more careful.
We have to have proof of insurance for license tags and state inspection. The problem is that some people buy a short term insurance, get their plates and inspections and then drop the insurance.
Trust me, the authoritarian statists that masquerade as conservatives here will show up in droves to support what this little tyrant in Texas is doing.
In Texas, I think troopers can run your license and see that your insurance is current.
It is not like government isn’t already out of control. This is a terrible idea.
Last year I was hit by a guy who showed the cops his proof of insurance at the crash scene but it had never been paid.
If you don’t have uninsured or underinsured rider on your policy and live in a state that isn’t no-fault I suggest you add it, the minimal cost is well worth it. Got my Suburban totaled out and reimbursed even though I didn’t carry collision on the old thing.
They can, it has saved me a few hundred dollars when I have forgotten to replace my old cards with new cards.
I work in The Woodlands and the wife of my pastor operates a travel agency next to his office. I will be making a personal visit to said office to inform him of my extreme displeasure.
I will be barely polite. The bill of rights is a big fing deal
The mandatory insurance is sold to the public as a means to reduce the cost of insurance.
What mandatory insurance laws do is push the demand for insurance to maximum while the supply remains the same (or in the case of some states the supply is further reduced by an insurance commission that disallows providers from doing business within their state.)
The market pressure drives the cost of insurance up not down and then people look for ways to avoid said cost. This is much like the phenomenon of raising taxes on something and then having the thing that is taxed happen less.
The way to reduce the cost of repairs and/or accidents is to do away with insurance altogether and let the market take over setting the price for those things. Get the government out of the issue and it will solve itself, or in other words Government is the problem NOT the answer.
Senator Tommy Williams Named Chairman, Senate Transportation & Homeland Security Committee AUSTIN - State Senator Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) was named the new chairman of the Senate Transportation & Homeland Security Committee today by Lt. Governor David Dewhurst. The Transportation & Homeland Security Committee handles long-term funding for transportation infrastructure, highway safety, security of our state and emergency measures.
"As the Texas Department of Transportation begins the process of solving significant organizational and fiscal challenges, the Texas Senate requires a leader who will continue to keep our transportation infrastructure on track and our state moving forward," said Lt. Governor Dewhurst. "Senator Williams is a strong advocate for reducing congestion on our roadways by ensuring dependable revenues to construct and expand new highways and build a world-class transportation system."
"It's very important we continue to improve our infrastructure and protect our citizens," said Williams. "I am humbled by the confidence the Lt. Governor has placed in me. We have hard work ahead of us, and I am ready to begin," stated Williams.
Senator Williams represents Senate District 4 covering all or portions of Jefferson, Orange, Chambers, Liberty, Harris and Montgomery Counties. Williams is a member of the Texas Senate Select Committee on Redistricting and also serves a member of the Finance, Education, International Relations & Trade Committees and the State Preservation Board
He's a stinking RINO who wants to revisit the tolling of public roads purely as a revenue stream.
Guy is an idiot. How about we replace him?
Mooo! We need more ways to milk and inconvenience the citizens.
May or may not have been his fault. A fairly common scheme among unscrupulous agents is to draw up the policy paperwork and deposit the money in an interest bearing account for a few months before (if ever) actually opening the policy with the carrier.
I know it sounds like a hopeless scheme that would inevitably get revealed, but without fail, every year, you'll find some agent somewhere thinking he's the most brilliant guy in the world for having thought of it. You see it a little more often with homeowner's and life policies but every now and then somebody will try it with an auto policy.
“This seems like a constitutional infringement in search of a problem. Instead, why not just demand that people present proof of insurance when they renew their license plate tags”
We DO have to provide insurance when renewing plates in Texas. So yes, this is B>S> and this dude needs to be put in his place.
“Texas has annual license plate renewals and annual safety inspections that both require “proof” of insurance in order to get the renewal. Problem is that drivers can go online or go to an insurance company and sign up for insurance and get the “proof of insurance” form - often without even paying for one month of insurance, and then simply not pay for the insurance policy. The “proof” of insurance becomes worthless.”
That is true, but now the police, sheffic, constable can just run your plates and that will tell them if a driver is insured. I am not sure when this took effect, maybe a couple of years ago. My wife was pulled over in our hood, and fortuanately didn’t get a ticket, but he did not ask for the insurance card. He to told her that the car shows insured so no need to show him the card.
I think we have at least two problems in Texas, neither of which this will solve. Insurance coverage information is only updated by the state when you renew your tags and get your inspection. Would make more sense would be to require insurance carriers to notify the state if the insurance lapses. The other problem is that people stopped for a moving violation or involved in an accident who do not have insurance are generally given a ticket and allowed to drive away. Seems like there should be a law to keep that car off the road until proof of insurance is provided. Some of our vehicle inspections are pure fraud - old car in front of mine this year had cracked windshield, major damage to the entire driver’s side, missing taillights, trash bag taped over where one of the windows had been yet they were given a new sticker indicating they had passed their safety inspection.
We carry the uninsured motorist rider on our policies. Our daughter had someone back into her car as she was waiting for the security gate to open at her apartment complex.
The other driver said she drove past him as he was backing up. BUT, there was one little bit of evidence - the security camera caught the entire accident. He paid for the damage.
But of course Mexicans will be exempt, right??!! After all, must NOT be accused of raaaaaacism.
From the Texas Department of Insurance:
http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/auto/frvp.html
The State of Texas implemented a program that allows law enforcement officers and designated state users to immediately verify whether a vehicle is insured. The days of fraudulent or false proof of automobile insurance cards and dropping insurance coverage after receiving a valid insurance card are numbered.
Texas law states that a person may not operate a motor vehicle in this state unless financial responsibility is established for that vehicle. Most people do this by buying automobile liability insurance. The law currently requires minimum liability coverage of $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 for everyone injured in an accident, and $25,000 for property damage (30/60/25).
TexasSure, Texas' financial responsibility verification program, is a joint project mandated by the 79th Texas Legislature and developed by the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV), and the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR). The goal: to reduce the number of uninsured motorists in Texas. An estimated 20% of all Texas vehicles are uninsured at any given time. Now, law enforcement officers and other state users have real-time immediate access to insurance information on a given vehicle at their fingertips.
If you have established financial responsibility through an automobile insurance policy, your insurance company will report that information to the state. No action is required on your part unless you are contacted. However, you may wish to verify that the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) physically showing on your vehicle is the same as that shown on both your insurance policy and vehicle title and registration. Contact your insurance company if you notice any discrepancies.
Get Insured, Texas!
Supposedly my insurance carrier was going after him for it, seems he just ordered the bare state minimum coverage from what the lady handling my claim told me over the phone and it was never paid.
I believe the chances are 1 in 9 that the guy passing you the other way isn’t insured. I know that must vary from different neighborhoods and towns, but places around where I live I can believe it.
When it comes to the local PD where is the “Check and Balance”?
Most of these guys get overtime to go learn how to use all the new toys we buy them and when you call them when you have a problem it’s “not their problem” They are much more interested in Seat Belt Laws or Check points ... anything that gets them more money for toys and overtime.
I gave up on these clowns years ago ... Rinos too, what can you do when they say one thing and do another?
TT
Chuck Hurley, former president of MADD had the same mindset about motorists. If you are driving, you are considered guilty of some violation and be subject to being stopped on a whim and be required to prove your innocence by law enforcement. Obama appointed him to become chief of NHTSA but luckily, he was forced to withdraw his name !
***Insurance coverage information is only updated by the state when you renew your tags and get your inspection. Would make more sense would be to require insurance carriers to notify the state if the insurance lapses.***
The law was passed many years ago because there were so many scoflaws that would buy the insurance just to get their registration renewal or state inspection and then cancel.
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