Memorandum
City of Lawrence
Legal Services
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TO: |
Toni Ramirez Wheeler, Director of Legal Services
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FROM: |
Scott J. Miller, Staff Attorney
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Date: |
August 21, 2007
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RE: |
Ordinance 8150 -- 2007 Edition of the Standard Traffic Ordinance |
Attached please find Ordinance 8150, which adopts by reference the 2007 Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas Cities prepared by the League of Kansas Municipalities.
The 2007 version of the Standard Traffic Ordinances includes several provisions that are amended from the prior year’s version. The purpose of the changes is to ensure compatibility between recently amended Kansas statutes and the City’s traffic laws. This year, the legislature once again amended The Kansas DUI statute. One of the most significant changes is the grant of jurisdiction to municipal courts for felony DUI offenses, at the option of individual cities. This change is not incorporated as a mandatory matter into the STO, and it is recommended that it be taken up as a separate matter if that is the direction of the Commission. Additionally, the laws governing work site utility vehicles and all terrain vehicles were clarified. Below is a complete list of the provisions amended:
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Sec. |
Title |
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1 |
Definitions |
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30 |
Driving Under the Influence |
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103 |
Using Headphones in Vehicles (Television Receivers in Vehicles Deleted) |
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114.1 |
Unlawful Operation of an All-Terrain Vehicle |
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114.2 |
Unlawful Operation of a Work-Site Vehicle |
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182 |
Child Passenger Safety Restraining System |
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182.1 |
Seat Belts |
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194 |
Driving While Suspended or Revoked |
Because it is important for the City of Lawrence to maintain consistency between its traffic code provisions and the provisions of Kansas law, it is my recommendation that this ordinance be adopted. As drafted, the ordinance will go into effect on September 7th.