A bill that would make a change to vehicle inspections is one step closer to passing.
On Monday State Representative Larry Bagley’s Bill 344 passed the House Transportation Committee at the capitol with a 6-5 vote.
The bill would no longer require drivers to have an inspection sticker unless you drive a commercial vehicle or school bus.
Nina Guidry, a resident of Breaux Bridge said she’s for the inspection sticker ban, due to unsafe road conditions in the area.
“In a lot of ways I think they should because most of the roads aren’t safe, but they expect us to make sure our cars are safe but the roads aren’t safe for our cars,” Guidry said. “There’s a lot of potholes, and people complain that their cars getting damaged.”
Henderson Police Department Captain James Thibodeaux said its common to see inspection stickers in Henderson expired any day and everyday. He said as long as he’s been in law enformecent, he’s had the same inspection complaints from those in St. Martin Parish.
“This is what citizens tell me," Thibodeaux said.
This is 33 years this is what citizens have asked me. Why are you gonna target me for my vehicle and a sticker? And when I leave from here I have to dodge potholes that I know are eventually gonna eat up my tires, destroy my suspension, crack my windshield.”
Thibodeaux said his agency is unlikely to cite a non-moving vehicle simply for having an expired expiration.
But he’s noticed a recent theme in Henderson of residents not having their car registered in the state, getting around an inspection.
“The people that have always abided by the laws that are applicable to your registration in this state, those number of people are lessening,” Thibodeaux said.
“The people that are coming in from out of the state and not abiding by, cause there’s not a process in place to force them to register their vehicle in this state.”
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Guirdy said she would like to see the parish invest money in the roads.
“I think they should use some of the money from the gambling to repair the roads, Guidry said.
The bill will be headed to the House next.
