Traffic Stops Statistics Study Act of 2000
Congressional search website: http://thomas.loc.gov/
106th CONGRESS
2nd Session
H. R. 1443
To provide for the collection of data on traffic stops.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. MENENDEZ, Ms. WATERS, Mr. SCOTT, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. NADLER, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. WEINER, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. HILLIARD, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. DIXON, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. CLAY, Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin, Mrs. CLAYTON, and Mrs. JONES of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To provide for the collection of data on traffic stops.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the "Traffic Stops Statistics Study Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. ATTORNEY GENERAL TO CONDUCT STUDY.
(a) Study. --
(1) In general . -- The Attorney General shall conduct a nationwide study of stops for traffic violations by law enforcement officers.
(2) Initial analysis . -- The Attorney General shall perform an initial analysis of existing data, including complaints alleging and other information concerning traffic stops motivated by race and other bias.
(3) Data collection . -- After completion of the initial analysis under paragraph (2), the Attorney General shall then gather the following data on traffic stops from a nationwide sample of jurisdictions, including jurisdictions identified in the initial analysis:
(A) The traffic infraction alleged to have been committed that led to the stop.
(B) Identifying characteristics of the driver stopped, including the race, gender, ethnicity, and approximate age of the driver.
(C) Whether immigration status was questioned, immigration documents were requested, or an inquiry was made to the Immigration and Naturalization Service with regard to any person in the vehicle.
(D) The number of individuals in the stopped vehicle.
(E) Whether a search was instituted as a result of the stop and whether consent was requested for the search.
(F) Any alleged criminal behavior by the driver that justified the search.
(G) Any items seized, including contraband or money.
(H) Whether any warning or citation was issued as a result of the stop.
(I) Whether an arrest was made as a result of either the stop or the search and the justification for the arrest.
(J) The duration of the stop.
(b) Reporting. -- Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall report the results of its initial analysis to Congress, and make such report available to the public, and identify the jurisdictions for which the study is to be conducted. Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall report the results of the data collected under this Act to Congress, a copy of which shall also be published in the Federal Register.
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.
In order to complete the study described in section 2, the Attorney General may provide grants to law enforcement agencies to collect and submit the data described in section 2 to the appropriate agency as designated by the Attorney General.
SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON USE OF DATA.
Information released pursuant to section 2 shall not reveal the identity of any individual who is stopped or any law enforcement officer involved in a traffic stop.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) Law enforcement agency. -- The term "law enforcement agency" means an agency of a State or political subdivision of a State, authorized by law or by a Federal, State, or local government agency to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, or investigation of violations of criminal laws, or a federally recognized Indian tribe.
(2) Indian tribe. -- The term "Indian tribe'' means any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
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IACP position on traffic stops legislation
International Assocation of Chiefs of Police
Association website: http://www.theiacp.org/
Alexandria VA
Traffic Stops
The IACP believes that professional traffic enforcement is a vitally important tool that saves lives and helps reduce crime.
In addition, the IACP believes that traffic enforcement should be performed in an unbiased and professional fashion. No law enforcement executive should use or condone racial or socio-economic guidelines as grounds for pulling a motorist over. To stop and search an individual simply because of his race, gender or economic level is unlawful as well as unconstitutional, and should not be tolerated in any police organization.
However, the IACP opposes legislation that calls on law enforcement agencies to collect and report on the race or ethnicity of drivers who are pulled over for traffic violations. The IACP believes that collection of this data will serve to discourage law enforcement officers from making legitimate traffic stops for fear of action being taken against them or their department.