Snow Legislation Creates Avalanche of Bills

Tuesday March 18, 2008

Yesterday the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would create hefty fines for people who don’t clean the tops of their vehicles after snow storms. In fact, a tractor-trailer with two inches of snow up top could be whacked for more than $4,000.
As cheery as that sounds, it’s uncertain that the bill would ultimately win approval in the House and Senate. Instead, what’s more likely to happen is that it gets distilled into a fine blend of law, with a lower fine, like a cross between a rhino and a hippo. There are at least three variations on the theme still alive in the legislative pipeline
But that’s the way it is during the genetic-engineering process called the Connecticut General Assembly.
House Minority Leader Larry Cafero, R-Norwalk, said in an interview this morning that he sees a $150 maximum fine about right. He hopes the ultimate law, if approved and signed into law, gives police to ability to stop and fine vehicles on the spot.
He thinks that’s better than Gov. Jodi Rell’s proposal to fine vehicles only in cases where the flying ice and snow chunks collide with a following vehicle.
Cafero’s also optimistic that after years of submitting the proposal, this could be the year he succeeds.
“The governor’s support always helps,” Cafero said, adding that more and more lawmakers have had highway encounters with flying icebergs.
“I noticed the change in attitude this year,” Cafero concluded.