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House advances bill to fine ‘slowpoke’ drivers and post signage on highways
Summary
House members approved a transportation committee recommendation for HB 2235 to create posted signs and penalties to discourage drivers who impede traffic. Sponsors said it improves highway safety; opponents raised concerns about enforcement and penalty levels.
The Arizona House’s Committee of the Whole recommended passage of House Bill 2235 on Feb. 11, 2025, a transportation measure requiring posted signage on highways advising slower drivers to move right and creating a fine for impeding traffic.
Representative Martinez, sponsor of the transportation bill, said the legislation is “about safety on the highways” and urged passage, describing constituent complaints about inconsistent driving speeds on I-10 and other highways. Martinez said similar laws exist in other states and cited enforcement regimes and posted fines used elsewhere.
Representative Biyatsuchi offered the transportation committee amendment and Representative Contreras proposed and the House accepted a friendly subfloor amendment specifying which highways and sign sizes would apply. The committee-of-the-whole then recommended HB 2235 as amended for passage, and the committee report was included in the floor report and later adopted.
Why it matters: Sponsors said the bill would reduce unsafe speed differentials and improve traffic flow by giving law enforcement a defined penalty for drivers who block traffic while driving below the posted speed. Supporters cited public-safety and traffic-efficiency rationales; critics did not mount a sustained floor-level opposition in the recorded debate.
What’s next: HB 2235 was referred for engrossing as part of committee-of-the-whole reports and will proceed through the legislative process for engrossing and possible third-reading on the floor.
