Informer: Recently enacted law prohibits use of ultra-bright headlights on cars
Published 3:22 pm Monday, October 31, 2011
Is it against the law to have ultra-bright headlights on a car?
Yes.
The Legislature earlier this year passed a measure that prohibits the use of lights — head lamps, fog lights, turn signals — “that tend to change the original design or performance” of the carmakers’ lights.
The measure, which Gov. Bobby Jindal signed into law June 24, took effect two months ago.
It was sponsored by Rep. Tom Willmott, who told New Orleans’ Times-Picayune earlier this year that the law targets high-intensity after-market lighting kits that don’t meet federal guidelines.
Among its provisions, the law prohibits inspection stations from affixing certification stickers to cars that feature the illegal lights.
“I think this will get them off the streets in a year or two,” Willmott, R-Kenner, was quoted as saying in a Times-Picayune story posted June 9 on Nola.com.
The penalty for violating the law — which applies to drivers, not just car owners — is a $50 fine on the first offense. Twenty-five dollars is added to the original amount for each subsequent offense.
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‘Should’ in policy defined as ‘must’
My child attends a local elementary school and recently received a dress code infraction notice for wearing black ankle socks.
We were told that black socks could not be worn according to the Calcasieu Parish School Board policy and that the only acceptable colors were navy blue, hunter green, khaki or white.
I looked up the policy, and it does in fact state that these colors are the ones that “should” be worn, not that they are the ones that “must” be worn. Could you please clarify this item and let me know if black socks are unacceptable according to the policy?
Sure.
Grammatically speaking, “should” implies that one ought to do something — leaving some wiggle room — and “shall” means one must do it, said Delma McLeod-Porter, an English professor at McNeese State University.
But, she said, “shall” is “rapidly becoming anachronistic” and that the person who wrote the uniform policy probably meant “shall” when he or she wrote “should.”
Charlotte Gallemore, administrative director of middle schools agreed, saying the use of “should” in this case means students must wear what’s listed in policy.
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The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098, press 5 and leave voice mail, or email
