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Missouri Mulls Funding Cuts for Sobriety Checkpoints

Jason Rojas
/
Flickr

Missouri lawmakers are considering a prohibition on the use of state funds for sobriety checkpoints.

The Missouri House voted Thursday in support of the ban in a budget bill. Supporters of the shift say it will free up departments to use money for other, more effective methods to deter impaired driving. Others say the sobriety checkpoints violate drivers' rights by allowing officers to stop people without probable cause.

But opponents of the ban say the checkpoints are an important tool to keep drunken drivers off the road.

Local law enforcement agencies could still pay for the checkpoints with local funds.

The Senate has not yet considered the measure.

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