An Alabama House panel voted down a bill that sought to allow small towns in the state authority to tickets speeders on interstate highways.

The House Public Safety Committee rejected a bill – HB116 – that would have repealed state law that prohibits towns with fewer than 19,000 residents from enforcing speed limits on interstates within their city limits.

Supporters said there are not enough state troopers for speed enforcement. They also said putting more local officers on the interstates would result in safer travel, the Tuscaloosa News reported.

Opponents said the ban is necessary to prevent small towns from creating speed traps on interstates and use ticket revenue to fill city coffers.