Five legislators have each accepted a “Seat Belt Champion Award” from the Nashville-based Meharry-State Farm Alliance, that applauds their success at inserting a primary enforcement amendment into the state’s existing seat belt statute that became law in South Carolina. The lawmakers, along with South Carolina’s Legislative Black Caucus, were honored during a luncheon at the Capital City Club.
The new primary law authorizes police to stop and ticket motorists in all seats solely for failure to buckle up. Its language also authorizes withdrawal of state funds from any police jurisdiction that fails to collect data that will ultimately reveal if differential enforcement of the new law suggests the need for additional public policy guidance. Secondary seat belt enforcement permitted police to ticket drivers only if non-compliance was noticed when a motorist had been stopped for some other infraction.
The 2006 “Seat Belt Champion Award” recipients are: Democratic State Sens. Darrell Jackson of Richland County’s 21st District and Joel Lourie of the 22nd District in Kershaw/Richland counties; Republican State Sen. W. Greg Ryberg of Aiken County’s 24th District; and Republican State Reps. Ronald Parker Townsend of District 7, which straddles Abbeville and Anderson counties, and Phillip D. “Phil” Owens of District 5 in Pickens County. A special citation noted the Black Caucus’ role in crafting language effectively addressing constituent fears that the new authority might be applied unevenly.
John E. Maupin, Jr., D.D.S., president of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, and Reggie Gallant, agency vice president for the State Farm Southern Zone, praised the awardees: “These astute veterans of legislative give-and-take hurdled tall barriers that had impeded passage of primary enforcement before. Because they persisted against the odds, thousands of deaths and injuries will be prevented in South Carolina.”
“Their collaboration, together with the outstanding strategic input of the Legislative Black Caucus, is exemplary of the most productive approach to often contentious political processes. Their attention to cultural perceptions that, when ignored, often harden into a reality of suspicion and doubt was exemplary. Our awardees this year did a splendid job of crafting important public policy that embraces the imperatives of good public health and good public safety.”
Deborah A. P. Hersman, a presidentially-appointed member of the National Transportation Safety Board, attended the awards luncheon specifically to join Alliance leaders, Dr. Maupin and Mr. Gallant, in publicly citing the legislators’ leadership. Ms. Hersman has partnered with the Meharry, State Farm, and other safety advocates in actively promoting primary legislation in South Carolina.
The awards ceremony attracted national, state, county and local dignitaries, state civic leaders, South Carolina-based Meharry alumni, and other health science and public policy professionals.
Previous “Seat Belt Champions” include House Speaker Pro Tem John Lovick of the state of Washington General Assembly; former Illinois State Senator (now U.S. Senator) Barack Obama; State Senator John Cullerton and State Representative Mark Beaubien of Illinois; and State Senator Micheal R. Williams and State Rep. John Hood of Tennessee. All previous winners were invited to attend the ceremony in Columbia.
Topics Legislation Numbers South Carolina
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