House Approved Bill Limiting the Use of School Zone Cameras

The state house worked into the late hours on Monday night considering bills. One measure, senate bill 217, includes language to limit the use of school zone cameras.

The state senate must consider the measure on Wednesday, March 29, for it to pass. The annual session ends on Wednesday night.

Use of School Zone Cameras

The state authorized the use of school zone cameras beginning in 2019. Since then, a number of jurisdictions have installed them. This includes Henry County and at least two local cities. The state assembly is now looking at revisions to the program.

Presently, state law allows the cameras to operate from one hour before the school day starts, during the school day, to one hour after the school day ends. This has led to major confusion about the cameras within Henry County. Under Senate Bill 217, the applicable times would change to only 30 minutes before and after the school day begins, and 30 minutes before and after the day ends. The original operating times would remain for any school campus bisected by a highway.

Proponents of the bill view the reforms as necessary. They contend some localities are over using the cameras as revenue generators. The bill would begin to include a department’s speed camera revenue in their speeding revenues. State law prohibits a local law enforcement agency from generating more than 35% of its revenue from speeding enforcement. Any department who violates this could see state funding withheld.

Proposed revisions to lower the speeding fine did not make the bill. The proposal had been to reduce the first offense from $75 to $10, and second offense from $125 to $20. The fines will remain as is.

The state house added the proposed school zone camera revisions to Senate Bill 217 as part of an amendment on Monday. They previously approved the revisions under House Bill 348, but the senate had not voted on it. The house approved the amended senate bill by 110 yeas to 59 nays. It now goes to the senate for consideration.

Featured image shows Henry County school buses at a local school. Henry County Schools photo.