The House Transportation Committee approved a bill Monday, May 13 that would eliminate inspection stickers in Louisiana.
Photo Source: WAFB
Under current law, Louisiana drivers are required to get an inspection every other year. Those drivers can pay for a one-year inspection sticker for $10, or a two-year tag for $20. The custom labels are not working says city residents. They would prefer to give the money to fund the State Troopers.
Currently, Louisiana State Police collects 40 percent of the revenue each tag brings in, the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) collects another 12.5 percent, and the local inspectors collect the remaining 47.5 percent.
Stonewall Republican Rep. Larry Bagley’s bill would eliminate the inspection requirement, but essentially retain the $10 fee by increasing the registration renewal cost. The money that would go to the local inspector under the current system would instead be earmarked for LSP, allowing the agency to hire an additional 150 troopers to patrol Louisiana highways.
“When you add troopers, there are fewer crashes and deaths,” Bagley said. “Inspection stickers are not working. Adding troopers will work.”
Bagley says those additional troopers could help identify unsafe vehicles and encourage drivers to fix their issues immediately.
“If you get your car inspected today, drive out on the road, and have your windshield broken, you got two years to fix it. How is that safety?” Bagley asked the committee, which approved his bill 8 to 6. “Walk out in this parking lot and find problems with cars out there and they’ve got current inspection stickers on.”
