Revisions to Costa Rica's Traffic Law Blocked by Motion Judicial Review

Just when it seemed lawmakers were about to come to an agreement to reduce high fines contained in Costa Rica's controversial new traffic law, the left-leaning Citizen Action Party (PAC) blocked forward progress by requesting a judicial review of proposed reforms.
The move effectively ends debate in the short term over the traffic law – which has been criticized for penalizing traffic violators with fines as high as $500 – because it delays a vote until after a one-month review process by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV). The current Legislative Assembly is scheduled to leave office in two weeks.
The PAC made a similar motion three weeks ago with the final piece of legislation required to implement the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States. That law is currently under review by judges, but probably also will not make it to the floor for debate before the assembly turns over.
“It's a regrettable decision,” said Jorge Méndez, legislator with the National Liberation Party, who was the leading proponent of the traffic law reform, according to the daily Diario Extra. “Thanks to this, drivers will continue to receive high fines.”
He added, “Our intention was to resolve this issue before we left.”
But Alberto Salom, leader of the PAC delegation in the current legislature, justified his motion by saying that the PAC was not the only political group in favor of putting the bill before judges.
“It's a right of a legislator. This was the time in the process (to send it to Sala IV). There wasn't another. …” he said. “I oppose the bill in the terms in which it is laid out.”
Judges will be reviewing the law for alleged violations of the rights of the disabled.
Reforms to the traffic law have been on and off the floor of the assembly since the law was originally approved in November, 2008. Following its approval, it became clear that a majority of legislators disagreed with the high fines as well as other elements of the bill. Legislators gave themselves an additional six months to discuss reforms, but weren't able to agree on changes before the law went into effect earlier this year.
As many as 21,000 tickets have been issued under the new law, which penalizes people who attempt to bribe an officer with a $415 fine, those who talk on a cell phone while driving with a $300 fine and those who fail to obey a stop sign with a fee of $300.

By Chrissie Long
Tico Times Staff