Mississippi mayor vetoes cameras to identify uninsured drivers national politics

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (AP) — A Mississippi mayor has vetoed a proposal to install cameras that would help police identify and penalize uninsured drivers.

Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin said in his veto Friday that the city lacks an attorney general’s opinion on whether the use of surveillance equipment for this purpose is permitted, the Commercial Dispatch reported. Gaskin also said a program could be ineffective.

“Every person who drives a vehicle should have insurance under state law,” Gaskin said. “However, fining a driver for not having such insurance is unlikely to result in the purchase of additional insurance policies.”

The Columbus City Council Tuesday voted 5-1 in favor of a deal with Atlanta-based Securix for cameras to photograph license plates of passing drivers. Tag numbers would be checked against a database to see if the vehicle had insurance, and if not, a police officer would issue a summons to the driver.

People also read…

  • Pujols, who will start for Cardinals on opening day, announces he will file for divorce
  • Notebook of the Cardinals: Pujols, on the day he is named opening day starter, says he will file for divorce
  • The St. Louis restaurant defends itself against the “influencer” from Los Angeles and hits nerves
  • Husband and boyfriend mourn two “incredibly close” sisters killed in shooting near Collinsville
  • Conservative-backed school board candidates win in Rockwood, St. Charles County
  • McGwire says new/old Cardinal Pujols can hit 700 home runs if he gets enough at-bats
  • ‘A sad day’: Longtime Centene CEO Michael Neidorff dies aged 79
  • Prosecutor says new video proves St. Louis police lied about carjack attempt
  • Climbing the Walls: After exploring new dimensions for Busch to incite attacks, Cardinals stuck to the “golden” rule
  • Cardinals’ Whitley sent for the showers – and he liked it
  • Cardinals’ leadoff man and DH questions answered; others stay
  • Messenger: In a fiery speech, the Democratic Senator takes Hawley’s hypocrisy to justice
  • The Cardinals opener draws large television audiences; Sinclair charter deal reportedly closed
  • Sheena Greitens accuses ex-gov. Eric Greitens on starting a “campaign to destroy my reputation”
  • Homecoming Kings: After noisy red coat pomp, Wainwright and O’Neill lead the Cardinals 9-0

Mississippi has the highest rating of uninsured drivers, said Robert Wilkinson, an attorney representing Securix. He said Ocean Springs is among the Mississippi cities now using the cameras.

Pearl and Senatobia plan to have cameras rolling soon, said Josh Gregory, a consultant at Frontier Strategies, which helps market Securix’s services.

A 2009 Mississippi statute prohibits automatic license plate readers or video recorders from detecting and penalizing or imposing or collecting violations of “stop lights, traffic speeds, or any other traffic law, rule, or regulation on public roads, streets, or highways in that state.” any civil or criminal fine, fee or penalty.”

Wilkinson told the Columbus City Council that an attorney general’s opinion states that the law applies to red light running and speeding, but does not prohibit using these methods to enforce insurance laws. Gaskin and City Attorney Jeff Turnage said the city has not received a statement from the Attorney General on the matter.

For copyright information, please contact the distributor of this item, The Columbus Dispatch.

Leave a Comment