Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on March 23, 2005, to eliminate a requirement that a person must have a permit to operate a police radio “scanner” in a vehicle, and instead establish enhanced criminal penalties for a person who uses a scanner in the commission of a crime

The vote was 105 in favor, 0 opposed and 5 not voting

(House Roll Call 122 at House Journal 42)

Click here to view bill details.

Does this include an AM radio? I could get WJR that could use the Emergency Broadcast System. Does this count? I'd get an extra year and misdeanor charges for going 2 miles over the speed limit. Why bother?

It's a civil infraction. As such, you would not get the extra penalty. However, if you possessed a scanner while driving drunk, perhaps. It would be up to the prosecutor.

Are you serious? AM Radio has NOTHING to do with this law. Please, go read about the technology first, then comment.

Has the scanner law amendment been put into law yet. I know the governor signed it on March 2 but I want to know if it is now acceptable to carry a scanner as a railfan without a state police authorized permit. I am not a felon and therefore do the new provisions do not apply to me. By the way, my wife talked to our local state police about this issue yesterday and they still think it is illegal.

they hate the fact that their radio chatter is "public information going over the public airwaves".