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Bill could eliminate inspection tags for Louisiana drivers

Posted at 5:52 PM, May 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-14 19:35:08-04

Vehicle inspection tags could soon become a thing of the past for thousands of Louisiana drivers.

A bill eliminating the “brake tag” requirements for cars is headed to the full house after clearing a committee. The bill passed Monday night with a vote of 8-6.
Under the bill, 18-wheelers and buses would still need to be inspected annually. Despite support in the legislature, the bill is getting push-back from some who work in the auto industry.

Stanley Cosper owns Stan’s Auto Care on Johnston St. Cosper.

“It is a revenue builder. You have a light that doesn’t work. Windshield wipers that don’t work, so I sell you windshield wipers,” Cosper said.

Cosper has been in the business for more than 40 years. He conducts inspections on the daily. “Sometimes as many as 10,” Cosper added.

On occasion a vehicle comes in that does not meet the safety standards.

“The windshield is destroyed. Headlights don’t come on. You don’t need those cars on the road.” Cosper explained.

Desoto Parish Representative Larry Bagley’s bill would take away inspection duties from shop owners like Cosper and give them to state police.

“(Inspections) those are not working, added patrols will work. So those things will all be addressed in a more appropriate way and a better way then what we know,” Bagley said.

A $10 inspection fee would be added to registration renewals to fund an extra 150 patrols. Mechanics like Cosper say the new bill is flawed.

“If a policeman stops someone on the high way, I don’t think he’s going to want to do an inspection,” Cosper said.

Lafayette representative Vincent Pierre agrees with Cosper. On Monday he said, “At some point, if we don’t check those sorts of things then were asking for accidents.”

Many opposers believe that losing the inspection sticker will cause inspectors to go out of business. Cosper explained the revenue helps, but it’s not his main source of income.

“I’m not going to go out of business, but I do believe it adds value to the city or the state to have the car inspections,” Cosper said.

The bill is currently in the hands of the House floor for a full debate.