Bill to collect racial profiling data passes House committee

A bill that would allow the state Attorney General’s office to collect information on racial profiling passed its committee today.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, would require officers to record the race of any person they pulled over in any traffic stop. Smitherman, who says he has been racially profiled, said the bill would help to identify those officers who still practice racial profiling.

Under current law, law enforcement is only required to collect racial data in arrests or citations.

On the committee, concerns that the bill would add a burden unto officers in the field was the main vein of opposition. Last week, a public hearing about the bill also had law enforcement officials make similar arguments.

Read more: http://www.alreporter.com/2018/03/15/bill-collect-racial-profiling-data-passes-house-committee/