VIDEO: State Lawmakers Looking To Pass New Bill Called “Kaelin Kersh Act”

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- There could soon be a new requirement for all law enforcement and emergency vehicles when responding to a call.

State Representatives Gary Chism and Jay Hughes are sponsoring the “Kaelin Kersh Act.”

It was back in May when Kersh died in an accident after the car she was riding in collided with a Mississippi Highway Patrol SUV.

If passed, the bill would require all emergency vehicles to have blinking, rotating, or oscillating lights when being driven 30 miles-per-hour over the speed limit.

“In general it’s a good idea, it’s something that should be on the law books,” said Tomas Longton, Columbus resident.

Longton said he’s driven on roadways before where an emergency vehicle came speeding by without any warning.

The Columbus resident describes it as a startling feeling.

“Once I realized that it’s probably an unmarked car or whatever then I will try to keep to the right as much as I could to not interfere, but yes it can be unsettling for sure,” said Longton.

The unsettling and unsafe feeling is why Longton said he’s in favor of the “Kaelin Kersh Act” that lawmakers are trying to pass.

“Especially when finding that people have died as a result of them not being alert to the police coming, and so this would help avoid further tragedies,” the Columbus resident said.

“When you are trying to respond somewhere, you are not going to put other people at risk or in danger by not having your lights on, I mean that’s something we face every day so it’s not going to change much for us,” said Archie Williams, Captain of the Lowndes County Narcotics Task Force.

Williams said this measure is not anything new with his department.

He said they cut on their lights and sirens when going over the speed limit.

However, the captain admits, there are circumstances that require them to drive a few miles over the speed limit.

“Say a robbery in progress or a burglary in progress, certain things like that would be the only way or reason that an officer may not have a siren activated or sometimes lights activated, and that’s simply because you don’t want the criminal to know that you are coming,” Williams explained.

This potential law would also apply to some unmarked cars.

However, Williams said he doesn’t think this move will hinder the work duties of law enforcement and first responders, but instead help ensure safety on the roadways.

“There’s nothing wrong with having to do it, it’s a safety issue and we may have to change a little certain ways that our response is done, but I don’t see a problem with it at all,” said Williams.

If passed, this law would go into effect on July 1, 2018.