A seat belt proposal that never clicked when Ernie Chambers was in the Nebraska Capitol has a better chance of finally becoming law this year.

On Friday, state Sen. John Harms of Scottsbluff introduced a bill (LB106) that would allow police to pull over drivers who aren’t wearing seat belts. Currently, drivers can be ticketed for not wearing seat belts only if they have first been pulled over for other infractions.

Chambers, who was pushed out of the Legislature this year by term limits, opposed so-called “primary’’ seat belt laws because, he said, they would give police an excuse to pull over minorities.

Harms says Chambers’ leaving did not prompt him to introduce the bill.

About half of all states have such a law.