The City Council is adding noise from stereos as an item covered in its Noise Ordinance.
City Attorney Randy Nelson said racket from stereos is already covered under state law, but is not in the city ordinance.
Councilman Ron Littlefield said it does not mean there will be a crackdown on people with loud stereos.
But he said, "I do expect more effective enforcement. I constantly hear complaints about automobiles crusing through neighborhoods all hours with sound systems that rattle windows and shake walls. Those deep bass sounds were difficult for police to measure with decibel meters. This new state law fills that gap in our regulations with a very common sense approach - if an officer can hear it 50 feet away, it's too loud."
He said one reason is to make it convenient for city officers to be able to take cases to City Court rather than to General Sessions Court.
Mr. Nelson said when the cases go to General Sessions Court "the state gets the money."
He said sometimes officers have several charges on a single case, and this would help keep them all in City Court.
The ordinance, which is taken directly from state law, refers to stereo noise that is plainly audible 50 feet or more from a vehicle.