Wichita to triple seat belt fines

If you get pulled over for a seat belt violation in Wichita next week, expect to dig deeper into your wallet to pay the ticket.

Three times deeper.

The City Council on Tuesday changed its local ordinance to set the fine for a seat belt violation at $30, up from the previous $10.

City Attorney Jennifer Magana told the council members they had no choice. The state Legislature increased the fine in state law and the city has to make its ordinance consistent with that action, Magana said.

The state law actually took effect July 1, so the city adopted the change as an emergency ordinance. It takes effect Saturday.

Council member Pete Meitzner, often a critic of state mandates on city government, said “This one is what it is. I don’t have a problem with it.”

The additional $20 of the fine won’t go to the city, but pass straight through to the Kansas Department of Transportation to fund an auto safety program to promote wider use of seat belts and child car seats, Magana said.

The city will keep the remaining $10, as it does with the current fine, said Donte Martin, who administered the Municipal Court until a recent promotion to assistant city manager.

By state law, the city can’t add court costs to seat belt fines.

The ordinance change passed unanimously.

“We will never ever again see something so simple come from our Law Department,” Mayor Jeff Longwell said.

This story was originally published July 11, 2017 at 11:31 AM with the headline "Wichita to triple seat belt fines."