OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Starting Monday, local law enforcement can begin citing trains that sit on crossings for more than 10 minutes without moving.
Governor Kevin Stitt signed the new law in late May.
Beginning July 1, local law enforcement can issue citations for a maximum of $1,000 that would be enforced by the Corporation Commission.
The City of Edmond says just because the new law goes into effect on Monday, it doesn’t plan to start writing tickets any time soon. The city council still has to pass an ordinance allowing officers to write tickets.
“For us, ultimately, what that means is city council will have to make a decision whether or not we are going to have a local ordinance that authorizes our officers to write those tickets,” Edmond Public Information Officer Casey Moore said. “Those discussions haven’t happened at this time.”
So, the City of Edmond will not start handing out tickets on Monday. The city says it would actually like to avoid doing that altogether.
“Our hope is to be able to continue working with BNSF. We’ve been working with them for years on issues we have in our community,” Moore told News 4. “We have talked to them about a potential solution that would keep trains from blocking crossings in Edmond.”
The Moore Police Department says it’s working with the Corporation Commission on how to handle the new law.
In Logan County, the sheriff’s office plans to meet with its district attorney to figure out how things will work.
A lot of confusion surrounding a new law that becomes official on Monday.
“I think cities, and the state in general, we’re still not sure how all this is going to work out. It`s a step,” Moore said. “We’ll see once that step is taken where the next step comes after that.”
According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, even if a ticket is issued it’s not a criminal offense, it’s an administrative action enforced by the Corporation Commission.
On June 20, the Corporation Commission did approve rules for that process, but those rules still haven’t been signed by the governor.
To view the proposed rules approved by the Corporation Commission, click here.
