City lawmakers taking new steps in effort to crack down on dirt bikes in Springfield

DON: SPRINGFIELD CITY LAWMAKERS ARE TAKING NEW STEPS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO CRACK DOWN ON DIRT BIKES. THE CITY COUNCIL IS DRAFTING NEW LEGISLATION THAT WOULD INCREASE PENALTIES FOR THOSE CAUGHT RIDING AN OFF-ROAD VEHICLE ON CITY STREETS. DIRT BIKES AND ATV'S ARE ILLEGAL IN SPRINGFIELD, BUT THAT HASN'T STOP PEOPLE FROM USING THEM. IN SOME CASES, THE RIDERS SEEM TO BE ANTAGONIZING DRIVERS BY ZIG ZAGGING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC. CHERIE FARR - SPRINGFIELD THEY THINK THEY'RE FUNNY AND THEY WANT TO MAKE A SCENE. CHERIE FARR HAS SEEN RIDERS BREAKING THE LAW MANY TIMES. AND IT'S NOT JUST ANNOYING... IT'S DANGEROUS. THREE DIRT BIKE RIDERS HAVE DIED IN CRASHES IN SPRINGFIELD SINCE OCTOBER. ORLANDO RAMOS - SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCILOR THERE CALLED OFF ROAD VEHICLES FOR A REASON, THEY DON'T BELONG ON PUBLIC ROADS THOSE CAUGHT RIDING A DIRT BIKE ON A PUBLIC WAY COULD FACE A $50 DOLLAR FINE, BUT UNDER THE NEW DRAFT LEGISLATION - BEING PROPOSED BY COUNCILOR ORLANDO RAMOS - THAT FINE WOULD BE INCREASED. THE ORDINANCE ALSO ADDRESSES NOISE AND STORAGE. ORLANDO RAMOS - SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCILOR A LOT OF THESE FOLKS STORE THESE VEHICLES INDOORS, WHICH IS A FIRE HAZARD, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING AWAY FROM THAT. THE CITY ALSO WANTS TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS FOR FORTIETURE. THIS WOULD NEED STATE APPROVAL. RIGHT NOW - POLICE CAN SEIZE A DIRT BIKE ONLY AFTER THE SECOND OFFENSE. THEY WANT IT CHANGED TO FIRST OFFENSE. CHERIE FARR - SPRINGFIELD DIRT BIKES ARE MEANT FOR THE DIRT AND THE SAND AND BIKE TRAILS. YOU KNOW SOMETHING LIKE THAT. NOT IN THE ROAD. COUNCILOR RAMOS PLANS TO PROPOSE THE ORDINANCE ON MONDAY BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL. HE TELLS ME IF ALL GOES WELL IT'LL LIKELY BE ON THE BOOKS IN

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