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Michigan Legislature votes to let vehicles run unattended

Advocates of the bill say warming up a car in the winter shouldn't be illegal.
Henk Sijgers

A bill approved by the Michigan Legislature would let residents legally leave a vehicle running unattended on private property.

The bill cleared the Senate on a 30-6 vote Tuesday and goes to Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature. It was proposed after a Detroit-area man was ticketed $128 for leaving a car running in his driveway as the vehicle warmed up.

A state rule requires people to stop the engine and remove the ignition key before letting a vehicle stand unattended. The legislation would keep the prohibition in place only for vehicles parked on public streets, but not if they are equipped with a remote-start feature.

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