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Senate debate intensifies over window-tint law; committee of the whole ordered
Summary
Lawmakers debated SB14 to set statutory limits and tolerances for automotive window tinting, focusing on officer visibility, equipment metering tolerances (3% vs. 7%) and whether factory tints are exempt; floor resolved into Committee of the Whole for expert input.
The Senate spent a prolonged Jan. 26 floor session debating Senate Bill 14, which would enshrine statewide standards for permitted window tint darkness and measurement tolerances after years of conflicting administrative rules.
Sponsor Brent Richards framed the bill as bringing clarity to consumers and law enforcement by establishing clear percent-light-transmittance limits. Opponents, including Senator Black and representatives of law enforcement, warned the proposal could reduce officer visibility when approaching vehicles and cited testing tolerance issues with metering equipment.
Debate focused on two technical points: (1) whether to allow an additional tolerance (7 percent was proposed on the floor) to account for meter variances and (2) whether factory-installed tint for certain vehicles should be treated differently. Law-enforcement testimony in committee and on the floor said some departments opposed window tinting entirely; supporters argued some factory tints are already on vehicles and the law should be uniform.
The floor adopted a motion to resolve into the Committee of the Whole to allow more detailed expert testimony and discussion of measurement standards and enforcement protocols. Senators agreed to reconvene after caucus and resume consideration at 2:00 p.m.
What’s next: SB14 will be discussed in Committee of the Whole to address technical metering and exemption questions before the body resumes floor action.
Sources: Floor debate and motions on Jan. 26.
