CHEYENNE - Most law enforcement officers welcome a change in the state's seat belt law so they don't have to cite a driver for a moving violation before dealing with a seat belt violation, the sponsor of House Bill 168 said Monday.

Rep. Del McOmie, R-Lander, referred to the practice of writing more than one ticket as "shotgunning" and said it is required under Wyoming's "secondary law" on seat belt use.

Drivers under current law must first be stopped and cited for a moving violation before they can be ticketed for not wearing a seat belt. If they are wearing a seat belt they are entitled to get $10 off any fine they receive for the traffic violation.

"Most law enforcement officers don't like to shotgun," McOmie said, "But they feel strongly about using seat belts."

HB 168 would eliminate the requirement that an officer write a ticket for the moving violation first before issuing a citation for not wearing a seat belt.

But McComie said drivers still could not be stopped solely because they are not wearing seat belts if HB 168 passes. And they still could get the $10 reduction in any fine for the traffic violation that got them stopped in the first place.

The House Transportation, and Highways Committee voted 8-1 in favor of HB 168 late Monday afternoon. The bill now goes to the floor of the House for debate.

Wyoming Highway Patrol Director Col. John Cox said patrol officers statewide want to be able to use their discretion when they stop a motorist.

Many troopers today are not writing two tickets but end up writing a traffic citation and issue a warning about seat belt use.

In 2002, he said, there were 88 deaths in vehicle rollovers, including 72 where the occupants of the vehicle were not restrained.

'"We think we can lower the death rate in this state," Cox said.