TO:  Manufacturers, Distributors, and Pennsylvania Dealers    

FROM:  Ben Ford, Legislative Chairman  

DATE:  March 28, 2005

SUBJECT:  Pennsylvania House Bill 979

House Bill 979 was referred to the House Transportation Committee on        March 15, 2005.  The proposed legislation would add a number of        exemptions to the current law to include hearses, ambulances, and        government vehicles and increase the penalties for violations for a first              time offense as well as establishing a more severe fine for second time      offenders.

This legislation will be monitored but all members should continue to           strongly support House Bill 277 which also raises the fine for first time               and repeat offenders but applies reasonable standards that can be             effectively and consistently enforced by the law enforcement community.