(Columbia) June 9, 2005 - A stronger seat belt bill became law after Governor Mark Sanford did not veto it by midnight Wednesday night.

The governor allowed the bill to become law without his endorsement, his response to legislation he does not like, and does not think will be effective. The governor told reporters Thursday he has struggled with the bill over the last few weeks, has heard from people on all sides of the issue and would still veto it, if not for one issue.

Sanford says under the current law, passed in 1989, drivers are required to wear seat belts. But the governor says police officers cannot cite people for breaking the law. Sanford says he favors fewer laws. But he says the laws in place should be enforced. Under the old law, officers can ticket adult drivers for failing to wear seat belts only if the car was first stopped for another offense.

Sanford also believes this is a weak law because it will not allow violations to become part of a driving or insurance record. Sanford says under the new law, violations are not admissible in court. He says he will veto any further changes to the bill unless those changes are built around admissibility of violations in court proceedings.

The governor says he opposes the law because he does not believe it is the role of government to protect people from themselves. In a letter to the Senate released Thursday morning, Sanford says "it is government's role to encourage prudent personal actions, not to criminalize poor individual choicese or the self-inflicted wounds that accompany them."

Sanford also told WIS, "Our society's maximum value is freedom. Freedom to make good decisions, freedom to make bad decisions."

Sen. Joel Lourie (D-Richland) says the bill will make a difference, "There's volumes of research that shows if you pass a primary law like they did in North Carolina, like they did in Georgia, like they did in Alabama, like they did in many many other states, you will see your seat belt usage rate go up significantly."

The bottom line is the bill becomes law without the governor's endorsement, much to the delight of public safety advocates, but not in agreement with the governor's personal philosophy of how government should work.

By Jack Kuenzie
Updated 6:09pm by Bryce Mursch