Va. Senate passes bill requiring cops to tell drivers why they're being stopped [View all]
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Va. Senate passes bill requiring cops to tell drivers why theyre being stopped
Nick Iannelli | niannelli@wtop.com
January 28, 2022, 11:42 AM
When a police officer pulls you over, do you have a right to know why? ... That question is at the center of a debate over legislation that passed in the Virginia Senate Thursday along party lines. ... Under the bill, before a driver is required to show their license and registration during a traffic stop, the officer would need to explain why the stop occurred.
When people are stopped, and they dont know the reason why theyre stopped, they often want to know that, said Democratic Sen. Scott Surovell. When an officer doesnt tell them, it creates tension. ... Democratic Sen. Adam Ebbin added, For civil liberties, you have a right to know, if youre stopped, why youre stopped.
Republicans were skeptical of the idea. ... To me, this is just a way for lawyers to get somebody off the hook, said Republican Sen. John Cosgrove. ... Cosgrove argued that it was just going to make life harder for police.
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The bill passed in the Senate with all Democrats in favor and all Republicans opposed. It now heads to the House of Delegates, where it likely faces long odds because Republicans have a majority there.
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Nick Iannelli
Nick Iannelli can be heard covering developing and breaking news stories on WTOP.
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