An Arizona Senator driving greater than 20 mph over the velocity restrict was spared a dashing ticket resulting from a loophole within the State’s Structure that granted him “legislative immunity.”
State Sen. Jake Hoffman was driving 89 mph in a 65 mph zone on US Route 60 on Jan. 22 when a trooper pulled him over for dashing, the Arizona Division of Public Security informed ABC 15.
Nonetheless, “the Trooper recognized and verified that Mr. Hoffman is an Arizona State Senator, and currently in legislative session,” the company informed the outlet.
Whereas the trooper documented pulling over the senator, the officer selected to not give the republican lawmaker a ticket resulting from session per Article 4, Half 2, Part 6 of the Arizona Structure.
The part states that “members of the legislature shall be privileged from arrest in all cases except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, and they shall not be subject to any civil process during the session of the legislature, nor for fifteen days next before the commencement of each session.”
Because the legislature was presently in session in Arizona when Hoffman was pulled over, and dashing violations are deemed civil issues within the Copper State, the trooper allowed him to go away with out citing him.
Hoffman didn’t ask for any particular remedy, nor did he point out his immunity in the course of the visitors cease, a spokesperson for the senator informed the outlet.
Arizona’s Division of Public Security can subject a quotation after the legislative session, however the company has not commented on if it plans to.
The incident with Hoffman is way from the primary time the controversial legislative immunity has been invoked.
Two different Arizona legislators, State Sen. Mark Finchem and former state Sen. Justine Wadsack, prevented dashing violations due to the immunity clause.
Finchem was pulled over for driving 48 mph in a 30 mph zone on Jan. 25 in northern Arizona, AZ Household reported.
Nonetheless, Finchem requested the Prescott Police Division dismiss the ticket and for it to be “voided and stricken from the record.”
Wadsack was clocked at driving 71 mph in a 35 mph zone close to Tucson in March 2023 — saying she was “racing home” earlier than the cost on her electrical automotive went useless, in keeping with AZ Central.
Whereas Wadsack didn’t obtain a quotation when being pulled over, the Tucson Police Division did file one after the session concluded.
Her lawyer later motioned to dismiss the case, however a choose rejected it as a result of the ticket included a legal dashing cost, not a civil one, given how briskly she was driving.
The controversial loophole has prompted Republican Rep. Quang Nguyen to introduce a decision to cease legislative immunity for all visitors violations.
“Elected officials should not have special privileges that allow them to break the law without accountability,” Nguyen stated earlier this month, in keeping with AZ Household.
“The people we serve are expected to follow traffic laws, and legislators should be no different. If a lawmaker is caught speeding, running a red light, or committing any other traffic violation, they should face the same consequences as everyone else.”
Nguyen identified that “no one should be above the rules of the road” and “lawmakers should follow the same laws they create and enforce.”
“We are lawmakers, not lawbreakers,” he stated.
Nguyen says the Arizona Home will think about the decision. It could be positioned on the poll within the 2026 election for voters to resolve if handed.
