House and Senate lawmakers in the Louisiana Legislature are working out their differences on a bill that would ticket drivers who hold up traffic by lingering in the left lane on many of the state’s multilane highways.

The bill, which passed both chambers with differing language, has been sent to a House-Senate conference committee.

SB765 would specify that anyone who lags in the left lane could be fined as much as $175, get up to 30 days in jail, or both. Subsequent violations could result in a fine up to $500, as much as 90 days in jail, or both.

It would apply specifically to roads outside of municipalities where the posted speed is at least 55 mph.

The Senate version states that one vehicle passing another should stay in the left lane until the distance between it and the vehicle being passed exceeds five car lengths. The passing vehicle is then required to return to the right lane.

The bill sponsor, Sen. Robert Adley, D-Benton, said the proposal is intended to make sure the left lane is used for passing.

“I do want to stop the ‘rolling roadblocks’,” he told The Times-Picayune.

If a passing vehicle continues at the same speed as the vehicle in the right lane, “such action shall be considered a rolling roadblock,” Adley wrote.

The House added an amendment that would let a vehicle stay in the left lane if not impeding traffic or if the vehicle is traveling faster than the vehicles in the right lane.

House lawmakers also included a requirement that the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development post signs on multilane highways telling slower moving traffic to stay in the right lane.

Both chambers must agree on a final version of the bill to send it to Gov. Kathleen Blanco for approval.