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Two Knoxville police officers have resigned amid an investigation into the alleged beating of a homeless man.More >> Two Knoxville police officers have resigned amid an investigation into the alleged beating of a homeless man.More >> A Tennessee pharmacist has admitted distributing a misbranded Chinese-made drug that was given to kidney dialysis patients in Kansas.More >> A Tennessee pharmacist has admitted distributing a misbranded Chinese-made drug that was given to kidney dialysis patients in Kansas.More >> A Knoxville group is making blankets for victims of the Oklahoma tornado.More >> A Knoxville group is making blankets for victims of the Oklahoma tornado.More >> Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is preparing to send food to Oklahoma.More >> Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is preparing to send food to Oklahoma.More >> Two elementary schools were directly impacted by a massive tornado in the Oklahoma City area on Monday. It brings to mind a storm from a 1996 tornado which destroyed the Allardt Elementary School in Fentress County.More >> Two elementary schools were directly impacted by a massive tornado in the Oklahoma City area on Monday. It brings to mind a storm from a 1996 tornado which destroyed the Allardt Elementary School in Fentress County. More >> As the search for survivors continues in Oklahoma hundreds of volunteers from across country are stepping into help including some from East Tennessee.More >> As the search for survivors continues in Oklahoma hundreds of volunteers from across country are stepping into help including some from East Tennessee.More >> Students at Tellico Plains High School when March 2012 tornado hit recall the school's safety procedures.More >> Students at Tellico Plains High School when March 2012 tornado hit recall the school's safety procedures.More >> Gov. Bill Haslam came to East Tennessee Tuesday to sign a bill into law designed to prevent people from being abandoned like one Illinois woman was in 2012.More >> Gov. Bill Haslam came to East Tennessee Tuesday to sign a bill into law designed to prevent people from being abandoned like one Illinois woman was in 2012.More >> Tea Party members and supporters gathered in downtown Knoxville Tuesday to protest the IRS.More >> Tea Party members and supporters gathered in downtown Knoxville Tuesday to protest the IRS.More >> East Tennessee is no stranger to natural disasters and in case of an emergency, EMA officials say there are preparations we need to make just to be safe until help arrives.More >> East Tennessee is no stranger to natural disasters and in case of an emergency, EMA officials say there are preparations we need to make just to be safe until help arrives.More >>
NASHVILLE (AP) - A proposal that would increase the fine for not wearing a seat belt by $40 is advancing in the Senate.
The measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro narrowly passed the Senate Transportation Committee 5-4 on Wednesday. The companion bill was to be heard in the House Transportation Subcommittee later in the day.
Currently the penalty for not wearing a seat belt is $10. Under this proposal, the fine would be $50.
Ketron said the measure is simply to encourage people to buckle up.
However, Republican Sen. Frank Niceley of Strawberry Plains said "these are hard times" and people shouldn't be fined if they don't want to wear a seat belt.
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