A bill to restrict the circumstances in which law enforcement can engage in high-speed chases with fleeing suspects won’t advance this session.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday sent Senate Bill 120 to a subcommittee for further study.
It would mandate state, county, or municipal law enforcement agencies cannot engage in vehicular pursuits unless probable cause exists to believe that the driver has committed at least one of several violent crimes, including murder, kidnapping, rape, arson or robbery in the first degree.
Multiple law enforcement agencies spoke against the bill in a public hearing last week. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, sponsored the bill after a chase last year ended in a wreck that killed Hartselle teen Tristan Hollis and injured others. They were in a vehicle hit by the fleeing driver.
Tristan’s mother, Rachel Moore, last week asked lawmakers to put restrictions on chases like the one that killed her son.
Orr said Wednesday he didn’t expect the bill to come back to committee this session, but he’s committed to the issue.
“We don’t want to do anything that’s rash or harms law enforcement, but we certainly need to look at public safety in this context and see if we can make improvements.”