Legislation addresses ticket camera rules

Discussion continues at statehouses from California to Connecticut to address the use of automated cameras or ticket cameras to ticket drivers.

OOIDA officials say the focus on the revenue-generating devices ignores the more logical and reasoned approach to roads and traffic: keep traffic moving in as safe a manner as possible.

Below is a rundown of recent action on the topic.

California

The state of California prohibits the use of speed cameras.

An Assembly bill would authorize cities across the state to use the devices.

AB550 calls for the California Department of Transportation to come up with guidelines for local governments to set up speed camera pilot programs.

Fines would be capped at $125. No points would be added to an offender’s record.

Additional details about the programs would be determined by a state working group.

Supporters say use of the enforcement tool makes travel safer. They add that it reduces police interactions with drivers while maintaining driver accountability.

Connecticut

A Connecticut bill is intended to prevent the use of red-light cameras.

Currently, there are no communities in the state using red-light or speed cameras.

HB6078 would prohibit the use of red-light cameras in the state. The bill does not include a provision addressing speed cameras.

Florida

An effort at the Florida statehouse would ban municipalities from using red-light cameras to issue citations.

There are 58 local governments around the state operating more than 500 red-light cameras, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fine amounts of $158 are dispensed for actions that include turning right on red, failing to come to a complete stop, or crossing the line where a camera is focused on an intersection.

HB6009 would repeal the program allowing the use of the ticket tool. Locales with programs already in place would be required to remove the devices by 2024.

In his attempt to repeal the law, Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills, has cited data from the state that show the program has not improved driving behavior.

Maryland

A Maryland bill halfway through the statehouse would expand the use of ticket cameras.

There are six counties around the state that have red-light camera programs. The city of Baltimore and 22 other jurisdictions use the devices. Violators face fines up to $100.

HB967 would authorize two cameras to be posted on Interstate 83 in Baltimore City.

The city already posts speed cameras and red-light cameras on certain roadways.

Fines collected would be used for roadway improvements on the stretch of highway.

Natasha Mehu of the mayor’s office says speed cameras are necessary.

“Traditional methods of speed enforcement are not possible on I-83 within Baltimore City due to the existing width of roadway shoulders, the inability to widen shoulders due to fiscal and engineering constraints, and resource challenges of the Baltimore Police Department,” Mehu wrote in testimony.

New York

In New York, an Assembly bill would allow the state to move forward with placing speed cameras in construction zones.

Data from the New York State Department of Transportation shows that over a seven-year period there were 3,450 wrecks in work zones on state highways. There were 50 fatalities and more than 1,100 injuries to drivers and workers.

“Stronger enforcement of speeding in work zones has the potential to significantly reduce both the incidence of motorists and worker fatalities while training better overall motorist behavior,” Assemblyman William Magnarelli, D-Syracuse, wrote in justification for the change in A485.

Oklahoma

An Oklahoma Senate-approved bill would prohibit the use of red-light cameras in the state.

Currently, there is no community in the state that employs the ticketing mechanism.

SB441 would forbid all law enforcement agencies in the state from contracting with a private entity to set up photo monitoring devices to detect traffic violations.

Oregon

Pursuit underway in Oregon would make permanent the city of Portland’s speed radar program.

There are 11 cities in Oregon, including Portland, where photo radar is allowed on segments of roads. Police are required to review potential violations. Tickets are issued for violators exceeding the posted speed by more than 10 mph.

One House bill, HB2530, would eliminate the 2024 sunset date for the city of Portland’s program.

Additionally, authorization for speed cameras would be extended to all cities with populations of at least 50,000. The change would affect about a dozen locales.

Cameras would only be allowed in areas designated as “urban high-crash corridors.” The classification would cover areas designated as a safety risk by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

A second bill, HB3357, would allow “trained staff” other than police officers to review camera photos.

Rhode Island

One Rhode Island Senate bill would authorize the expansion of the state’s speed camera program.

Currently, municipalities around the state are allowed to adopt ordinances to use speed cameras in school zones. The cities of Pawtucket and Providence are the only locales to act. Violators face $50 fines.

S64 would authorize the use of speed cameras on all state and local roads.

Wyoming

In Wyoming, the House Transportation Committee voted 6-3 to kill a Senate-approved bill to allow the use of cameras to enforce multiple traffic violations. Among the violations included are speed limits and size and weight limits.

The fiscal note attached to SF3 estimated that if cameras are fully implemented along I-80 and I-25, in Teton Pass, and in construction zones and school zones, citation revenue could top $7 million annually. LL