Local police in Pennsylvania would be allowed to use radar to nab speeders if a bill in the state’s House becomes law.

Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that prohibits municipal police from using radar to enforce speed limits. Only state troopers are allowed to use radar in the state.

Reps. Bryan Lentz, D-Delaware, and Mike Vereb, R-Montgomery, want to change the state’s distinction. They have offered a bill for consideration that would permit local, full-time police officers who work for full-service police departments to use radar.

If signed into law, local governments would have the option to adopt ordinances approving local radar use. Notices would be posted in areas where radar is implemented.

“The time has come to put Pennsylvania on par with other states’ speed enforcement,” Vereb said in a written statement. “This legislation would give local law enforcement the same tool the state police have used for decades successfully.”

Efforts to expand radar use in the state historically have struggled as opponents say the enforcement tool could be used to set up speed traps and rake in revenue from tickets. Supporters counter that expanding the use of radar beyond major highways would increase safety and reduce fatalities on all the state’s streets.

To guard against cities setting up speed traps, the bill would allow fines from speeding to be used entirely to compensate towns for the costs incurred to keep their program running. Additional revenue would be routed to the state police for “traffic safety purposes.”

The bill – HB1957 – is awaiting consideration in the House Transportation Committee.

To view other legislative activities of interest for Pennsylvania in 2007, click here.

– By Keith Goble, state legislative editor
keith_goble@landlinemag.com