Some Could Pay Bigger Fines For Speeding - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

A western North Dakota lawmaker pitches his idea that could strongly encourage people who are living and working in North Dakota with out-of-state vehicles to register their vehicles in this state.

Tioga Representative Bob Skarphol's proposal is to make nonresidents pay more when they are pulled over for speeding.

The out of state drivers would pay whatever fine is higher North Dakota's or what the fine would be from the state where their vehicle is registered.

Skarphol says this bill targets the people working and living in North Dakota that have not registered their vehicles here.

<<(Rep. Bob Skarphol / (R) Tioga) "Its become far too prevalent that people are doing this. I think it's appropriate for us to find a mechanism that would ask these individuals to support the costs of our road system as well as our own citizens.">>

The North Dakota Department of Transportation says it's hard to know how many vehicles are in the state that are registered in other states.

Last session lawmakers passed a law creating temporary licenses that may be purchased by non-residents for six or 12 months.

The permit must be displayed in the rear windshield.

In the last 18 months, 11,650 vehicles have been temporarily registered.