Illinois Bill Aims to Decriminalize Hanging Items from Rearview Mirrors, Reducing Pretextual Traffic Stops
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and State Representative La Shawn Ford (8th District – Chicago) have proposed a bill to decriminalize hanging items like air fresheners and rosaries from rearview mirrors in an effort to reduce pretextual traffic stops and improve safety for both motorists and police officers. House Bill 2389, which passed the Illinois House on March 24, is currently awaiting a Senate floor vote.
Current state law prohibits items hanging from rearview mirrors or affixed to windshields, arguing that they obstruct drivers' vision. However, this law has been criticized for leading to unnecessary encounters and potentially violent confrontations between police and motorists, as well as being used as a pretext for racially motivated traffic stops.
“Amending the law by prohibiting traffic stops that encourage discriminatory practices will ultimately make our streets safer for both motorists and police officers,” Giannoulias said.
Ford, the bill's chief sponsor in the House, added, “There is no reason for police to pull over a vehicle just because they have an air freshener on their mirror or for many other minor infractions.”
House Bill 2389, sponsored in the Senate by State Senator Christopher Belt (57th District – East St. Louis), passed the Senate Transportation Committee 17-1 on April 19 and now moves to the full Senate for consideration. If approved, the bill will advance to the governor's office.
Illinois is among a few states with laws banning items from hanging on rearview mirrors. Several high-profile cases, such as the deaths of Daunte Wright in Minnesota, Sandra Bland in Texas, and Walter Scott in South Carolina, have involved pretextual stops.
Other cities and states, including Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Fayetteville, N.C., are implementing similar measures to limit pretextual stops. In January, San Francisco's Police Commission approved a proposal to ban certain low-level, pretextual stops. In 2021, the Philadelphia City Council passed the Driving Equality Bill, which classifies several offenses as "secondary violations" that police cannot use as the sole reason for pulling over motorists.