New Kansas law would make drivers move over or slow down for stalled cars
Senate Bill 8 is uncontroversial in the Kansas Statehouse, passing both chambers without a single dissenting vote nor any opponent testimony during committee hearings. The bill is now heading to Gov. Laura Kelly's desk.
The law creates a $75 fine for unlawful passing of a stationary vehicle that has its hazard lights on or has deployed road flares or caution signals.
People are urged to switch lanes if possible, but if they can't are asked to slow to a "reasonable" and "prudent" speed. A similar law already existed, but only applied to stalled vehicles that were operated by law enforcement, emergency services, tow trucks, utility vehicles and garbage trucks.
"While Kansas existing 'Move Over' law is fairly strong, one glaring need for improvement was that regular folks changing a tire, dealing with an engine breakdown or other vehicle issues were NOT included in or protected by the law in the same way emergency responders and roadside workers are,' said Shawn Steward, public and government affairs manager for AAA Kansas. 'Everyone on the roadside, whether unplanned or there for their job, should enjoy the additional safety and awareness this enhancement will provide.'
The Kansas Department of Transportation statistics show that nearly 1,000 empty stalled vehicles were struck while on the side of the road between 2018 and 2023, resulting in the following:
Eight fatalities.
25 suspected serious injuries.
211 suspected minor injuries.
513 instances of damaged property.
Another 82 crashes occurred with someone in the car, resulting in the following:
2 deaths.
Four suspected serious injuries.
60 suspected minor injuries.
42 instances of property damage.
Every state has some form of "Move Over" laws, but Kansas would be the 26th state to move toward a universal model rather than specifying it for certain types of vehicles, like police cruisers.
Kansas nearly passed a similar bill last year, but it was bundled with two other bills that were less popular:
One would have increased the penalties for striking emergency vehicles that have stalled, and created felony crimes if emergency services personnel were struck or killed.
The other would have banned using cell phones while driving in a construction zone with workers present or a school zone during active hours.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansans must move or reduce speeds under uncontroversial bill
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


San Francisco Chronicle
14 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Man with mental health issues found naked in Minnesota Capitol, raising new security concerns
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A naked man with apparent mental health issues was found in the Minnesota State Capitol late at night, officials said Saturday, raising questions about security after the top Democrat in the state House was killed in what authorities have called a political assassination. The discovery just six weeks after the fatal shooting of Democratic former House Speaker Melissa Hortman prompted the top House and Senate Republican leaders to demand answers about how it happened and what steps might be taken to prevent it from happening again. The man was found in the Senate chamber around 11:30 p.m. Friday, the chief House sergeant-at-arms, Lori Hodapp, said in an email to representatives. 'The individual made statements indicating a belief that he was the Governor, among other remarks, and was found disrobed,' Hodapp said. Capitol Security responded promptly, she said, and the man was taken to a St. Paul hospital for evaluation. He was deemed not to be a threat to himself or others and was released, but he returned to the Capitol grounds at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. 'An investigation is currently underway to determine how the individual gained access to the Senate Chamber and Capitol facilities after hours," Hodapp wrote. "We are examining all aspects of this incident to address any security concerns.' The sergeant-at-arms also said the man had an active probation-violation warrant from Wisconsin on his record, but that it did not initially allow for his transfer. It has since been updated, she added 'and appropriate measures will be taken upon next contact.' 'It's frustrating that an individual with a criminal history was able to allegedly vandalize the Capitol and unlawfully trespass in the Senate chamber without being taken into custody,' Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, said in a statement. 'Anyone who trespasses in any building — let alone the State Capitol — should be arrested and prosecuted for breaking the law, and I look forward to learning why this did not take place in this highly disturbing incident.' GOP Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, of East Grand Forks, also expressed disappointment. 'We are living in a heightened threat environment,' Johnson said in a statement. "I expect the State Patrol and Capitol Security teams will thoroughly review what happened and give Capitol officials and staff, and the public, their assurances that this will not happen again.' The head of the State Patrol, Col. Christina Bogojevic, said there was no immediate indication that the man broke into the Capitol, which is open to the public during business hours. She said officials were reviewing security video to try to determine his exact whereabouts while he was inside. Bogojevic said the man was nonviolent when he was spotted on the Capitol grounds Saturday morning, and he was taken back to the same hospital for another evaluation. 'The safety and well-being of everyone who works at and visits the Capitol is our top priority,' Bogojevic said in a statement. 'We take this situation seriously and are committed to understanding how it occurred.' Legislative and administration leaders have begun discussions about whether security at the Capitol and for lawmakers should be tightened following the June 14 shootings that left Hortman and her husband dead, and a state senator and his wife seriously injured. Authorities say they were attacked at their homes by a man disguised as a police officer. The alleged gunman, Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, is facing federal and state murder charges and other counts. His lawyer says he plans to plead not guilty at his federal arraignment, which has been rescheduled to Aug. 7 from Sept. 12.

Associated Press
15 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Man with mental health issues found naked in Minnesota Capitol, raising new security concerns
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A naked man with apparent mental health issues was found in the Minnesota State Capitol late at night, officials said Saturday, raising questions about security after the top Democrat in the state House was killed in what authorities have called a political assassination. The discovery just six weeks after the fatal shooting of Democratic former House Speaker Melissa Hortman prompted the top House and Senate Republican leaders to demand answers about how it happened and what steps might be taken to prevent it from happening again. The man was found in the Senate chamber around 11:30 p.m. Friday, the chief House sergeant-at-arms, Lori Hodapp, said in an email to representatives. 'The individual made statements indicating a belief that he was the Governor, among other remarks, and was found disrobed,' Hodapp said. Capitol Security responded promptly, she said, and the man was taken to a St. Paul hospital for evaluation. He was deemed not to be a threat to himself or others and was released, but he returned to the Capitol grounds at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. 'An investigation is currently underway to determine how the individual gained access to the Senate Chamber and Capitol facilities after hours,' Hodapp wrote. 'We are examining all aspects of this incident to address any security concerns.' The sergeant-at-arms also said the man had an active probation-violation warrant from Wisconsin on his record, but that it did not initially allow for his transfer. It has since been updated, she added 'and appropriate measures will be taken upon next contact.' 'It's frustrating that an individual with a criminal history was able to allegedly vandalize the Capitol and unlawfully trespass in the Senate chamber without being taken into custody,' Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, said in a statement. 'Anyone who trespasses in any building — let alone the State Capitol — should be arrested and prosecuted for breaking the law, and I look forward to learning why this did not take place in this highly disturbing incident.' GOP Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, of East Grand Forks, also expressed disappointment. 'We are living in a heightened threat environment,' Johnson said in a statement. 'I expect the State Patrol and Capitol Security teams will thoroughly review what happened and give Capitol officials and staff, and the public, their assurances that this will not happen again.' The head of the State Patrol, Col. Christina Bogojevic, said there was no immediate indication that the man broke into the Capitol, which is open to the public during business hours. She said officials were reviewing security video to try to determine his exact whereabouts while he was inside. Bogojevic said the man was nonviolent when he was spotted on the Capitol grounds Saturday morning, and he was taken back to the same hospital for another evaluation. 'The safety and well-being of everyone who works at and visits the Capitol is our top priority,' Bogojevic said in a statement. 'We take this situation seriously and are committed to understanding how it occurred.' Legislative and administration leaders have begun discussions about whether security at the Capitol and for lawmakers should be tightened following the June 14 shootings that left Hortman and her husband dead, and a state senator and his wife seriously injured. Authorities say they were attacked at their homes by a man disguised as a police officer. The alleged gunman, Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, is facing federal and state murder charges and other counts. His lawyer says he plans to plead not guilty at his federal arraignment, which has been rescheduled to Aug. 7 from Sept. 12.


New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Mikie Sherrill dodges again on Mamdani, drawing fire from Ciattarelli and GOP
Democrat New Jersey gubernatorial hopeful Mikie Sherrill once again sidestepped questions about whether she will go across the Hudson River to endorse socialist Zohran Mamdani's mayoral candidacy, despite previously expressing interest in him. 'Look, I haven't weighed in, I haven't made endorsements in New York because I'm running in New Jersey,' Sherrill told PIX11 News on Friday. Two days after the New York City mayoral primary, Sherrill had a different tune, telling NBC 10 Philadelphia that she assumed she would back him and voiced interest in his plans to 'deliver efficient government.' Democrats in New York and the tri-state area have scrambled over how to navigate Mamdani's shock win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) last month, given his far-left agenda. Top leaders such as Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have refrained from endorsing Mamdani — for now. 3 Mikie Sherrill has echoed the strategy of top New York Democrats in evading questions about Zohran Mamdani. REUTERS 3 Zohran Mamdani has struggled to win support from establishment Democrats. Andrew Schwartz / Republicans have seized their silence and sought to use Mamdani's victory to help boost their otherwise dim prospects in the off-year elections. New Jersey Republican gubernatorial contender Jack Ciattarelli quickly ripped into Sherrill for sidestepping on Mamdani and highlighted how she expressed interest in him shortly after he won the Democratic primary during a June 26 interview. 'First Mikie Sherrill endorses Zohran Mamdani and calls his radical policies 'interesting'… now she's pretending she never heard of him? Come on, Mikie — NJ voters aren't stupid,' Ciattarelli chided on X. 'Roll the tape. You said it. You own it,' he added with a compilation of Sherrill's responses to questions about Mamdani. The Republican Governors Association also blasted Sherrill. 'New York's failures become New Jersey's problems,' the RGA swiped. '[Mikie Sherrill] said she'd support Mamdani saying, 'If he's the Democratic candidate, which it sounds like he is, I assume I will.' Now, she's acting like she doesn't know him,' the GOP group said on X. Mamdani is the favorite to win the Big Apple mayoral primary, though he still faces general election competition from Mayor Adams, Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Sherrill, a former Navy pilot who rode the blue wave to Congress in 2018, has sought to portray herself as a moderate Democrat. She first arrived in the House in 2019 with fellow national security buffs Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who is the favorite in the Virginia gubernatorial primary. All three women had fashioned themselves as centrists and touted their national security backgrounds. 'I will tell you here, people are deeply concerned about the affordability that I've laid out,' she added to PIX11 News, after evading a question on Mamdani. 'They want to see the plans and policies that are going to make a difference and [have] a sense that what Trenton is doing in the entrenched interests there and the regulations and the red tape and the bureaucracy are not delivering for them.' 3 Republican Jack Ciattarelli is facing an uphill battle against Mikie Sherrill, though polls underestimated him during the last gubernatorial contest. AP Ciattarelli lost to outgoing New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) by a measly three points in 2021, and President Trump lost the Garden State by about six points in 2024, indicating that Republicans can be competitive in the Democratic stronghold state. The off-year election in New Jersey, alongside the elections in New York City and Virginia, are widely seen as bellwethers that could be harbingers of what's to come in the 2026 midterm cycles.