A bill that would have set up a primary seat-belt law for drivers 19 and over was tabled by a 7-3 vote in the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment committee Tuesday afternoon.
While proponents of the bill said it would enhance public safety and decrease traffic fatalities, opponents of SB71 were concerned that it was another attempt by government to mandate what should be a personal choice.
"I think this bill is just too much government interference in our lives. Where does this stop?" Rep. Bradley Johnson, R-Aurora, said.
Although the bill was sponsored by Sen. Karen Hale, D-Salt Lake, it had bipartisan support with Sen. Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful.
"If we kill this bill, we'll see that outcome manifested on Utah's highways. This is one of the most meaningful pieces of legislation before us this session," Eastman said.
However, neither lawmaker could have been surprised at the outcome. "We were told this is the place bills come to die," Hale said before presenting her measure to the committee of largely rural conservative lawmakers.
With a primary seat-belt law already in place for drivers under 19, SB71 would have upgraded existing statute to allow law enforcement officers to stop drivers 19 and over only because he or she may not have been buckled up.
But like years past, support for the bill couldn't overcome the fear of infringing on personal rights.
"It's pretty stupid for people not to wear seat belts, but we can't pass laws barring stupidity," Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, said.
According to a recent report by the state's Highway Safety Office, seat-belt use rate in Utah's urban counties is 85.2 percent, compared with 57.9 percent in rural areas of the state.
That, Hale said, could have accounted for the death of her bill.
"That committee is made up of rural legislators and the majority of the rural counties have safety belt use that's very low. In the rural areas, we're not buckling up and we're losing lives," she said at a Tuesday morning press conference.
Even though the bill can be revived by a 2/3 majority vote on the House floor, some state lawmakers hope the legislation never becomes law.
"I hope we never pass this bill because as soon as we do, all the education and public awareness surrounding this issue will go away," Rep. David Cox, R-Lehi, said.
E-mail: abenson@desnews.com