JEFFERSON CITY   •   The Missouri House narrowly approved a new legal framework to allow red light and speeding cameras to be used in cities across the state.
Court rulings have questioned the validity of ordinances authorizing photo enforcement of red lights because they do not assess points to drivers and there’s no clear allowance for that in state law. Bill sponsor Dave Hinson, R-St. Clair, said the framework would limit fines and set up strict guidelines for cities to follow with automated traffic enforcement.
“This regulates them down to travel safe zones, construction zones and school safe zones,†Hinson said. “All those other cameras would go away and they would have to file to get a permit.â€
The bill explicitly prohibits points from being assessed based on automated traffic enforcement, caps fines at $135 and requires signs to inform drivers of the camera. It also requires a city to get a permit from whatever entity owns the road along which the camera is placed if it’s not owned by the city and to have a peace officer to review violations.
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The measure also requires cities to do crash study prior to any new red light cameras being installed and to conduct a public awareness campaign, with only warnings sent for 30 days.
Opponents of the change said red light cameras are simply intended to make money for cities and do not improve public safety. Rep. Bryan Spencer, R-Wentzville, said the Legislature was legalizing red light cameras and get around the state’s point system that’s intended to get dangerous drivers off the road.
“Automatic enforcement is used for revenue generation, not for public safety,†Spencer said. “(The bill) tries to legitimize (red light cameras) and circumvent the court system.â€
The Missouri Supreme Court declined to consider three different red light camera cases in February. Those cases, which allege the lack of points assessed violates state law, are still underway. There’s also an appeal pending in the city of ºüÀêÊÓƵ lawsuit over red light cameras. Ellisville and Arnold suspended the use of cameras and the Ellisville City Council voted last week to uninstall the cameras.
American Traffic Solutions, the company that operates cameras in several Missouri cities, supported the bill.
Rep. Michael Frame, D-Eureka, said the courts have indicated the major issue is the lack of provision to allow local ordinances to not assess points. “These appellate court cases are not the law of the land,†Frame said.
Spencer said that cities change the timing of yellow lights to catch more red light runners and increase revenue. The bill specifically sets the requirement for timing yellow lights in accordance with state law. Rep. Mike Colona, D-ºüÀêÊÓƵ, said anyone who opposed red light cameras should vote for the bill because it placed strict limits on their use.
“It limits red light cameras to being another tool for finding who’s out fault, not proof positive,†Colona said. “This bill forces red light camera tickets to assess zero points.â€
Colona’s vehicle was struck by a car running a red light and the accident was caught by a camera earlier this week. He said that photo enforcement reduced traffic accidents and personal injury lawsuits over collisions.
“The collisions are decreasing because people aren’t running the red lights anymore,†Colona said.
The House voted to pass the bill with only two votes to spare, 84-63. Eighty-two votes are required. The bill will now go to the Senate.
(The bill is HB 1557.)