PRINTER'S NO. 1945
No. 1539 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY JAMES, BLACKWELL, STABACK, LEACH, CURRY, FABRIZIO,
HENNESSEY, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, MAHONEY, STURLA AND THOMAS,
JUNE 18, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JUNE 18, 2007
AN ACT
1 Requiring the Attorney General to collect data on traffic stops;
2 and making an appropriation.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Traffic Stops
7 Statistics Study Act.
8 Section 2. Attorney General to collect data.
9 The Attorney General shall conduct a study of stops for
10 routine traffic violations by law enforcement officers in this
11 Commonwealth. The study shall include collection and analysis of
12 appropriate data and shall consider the following factors:
13 (1) The number of individuals stopped for routine
14 traffic violations.
15 (2) Identifying characteristics of the individual
16 stopped, including the race or ethnicity as well as the
17 approximate age of that individual.
1 (3) The traffic infraction alleged to have been
2 committed that led to the stop.
3 (4) Whether a search was instituted as a result of the
4 stop.
5 (5) The manner in which the search was instituted.
6 (6) The rationale for the search.
7 (7) Whether any contraband was discovered in the course
8 of the search.
9 (8) The nature of such contraband.
10 (9) Whether any warning or citation was issued as a
11 result of the stop.
12 (10) Whether an arrest was made as a result of either
13 the stop or the search.
14 (11) The benefit of traffic stops with regard to the
15 interdiction of drugs and the proceeds of drug trafficking,
16 including the approximate quantity of drugs and value of drug
17 proceeds seized on an annual basis as a result of routine
18 traffic stops.
19 (12) Other factors as deemed appropriate by the Attorney
20 General.
21 Section 3. Scope of study.
22 In conducting the study required under section 2, the
23 Attorney General shall collect and analyze data from:
24 (1) A city of the first class.
25 (2) A city of the second class.
26 (3) Two cities of the third class with a population in
27 excess of 100,000 based on the 1990 Federal decennial census.
28 (4) A city of the third class with a population of not
29 less than 50,000 and not more than 52,000 based on the 1990
30 Federal decennial census.
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1 (5) A city of the third class with a population of not
2 less than 52,000 and not more than 53,000 based on the 1990
3 Federal decennial census.
4 (6) Five municipalities designated by the Attorney
5 General which shall represent the various geographic regions
6 of this Commonwealth and which shall be in less densely
7 populated areas of this Commonwealth.
8 (7) The Pennsylvania State Police.
9 Section 4. Limitation on use of data.
10 Data acquired under this act shall be used only for research
11 or statistical purposes and may not contain any information that
12 may reveal the identity of any individual who is stopped or any
13 law enforcement officer. Data acquired under this act shall not
14 be used in any legal or administrative proceeding to establish
15 an inference of discrimination on the basis of particular
16 identifying characteristics.
17 Section 5. Report to General Assembly.
18 Not later than one year after the date of this act, the
19 Attorney General shall report the results of the study conducted
20 under this act to the General Assembly.
21 Section 6. Appropriation.
22 The sum of $600,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
23 is hereby appropriated to the Office of Attorney General to
24 carry out the study provided for in this act.
25 Section 7. Effective date.
26 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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