What about the red light camera bills?

And the other legislation mentioned in the sidebar to the strip club fee story is about red light cameras.

Red-light cameras

• Multiple bills: To formally authorize use of cameras to catch red light violators, regulate their use and require cities to share some ticket revenue.


• Status: Senate Bill 125, which would require cities to spend a portion of their red-light camera revenue on trauma care, did not pass the House. Lawmakers will try to work out differences in conference committee.

Someone is confused here, and I don't think it's me, but let's check. There was a flurry of camera-related bills introduced in February. In April, both SB125, which was the bill to limit civil fines from camera-recorded red light violations to $75 and to direct where some of those funds must go, and SB1119, which was the bill that authorized the use of red light cameras by cities, were passed by the Senate. In May, an amended version of SB1119 that inserted a sunset review of their effectiveness in two years' time, was passed by the House. That bill needs its differences worked out in conference, then to be passed again by both chambers, to be sent to Governor Perry. SB125, however, was placed on the General State Calendar on May 22 and apparently never emerged from there. Its only hope is to be added as an amendment to another bill; presumably, SB1119 would be the vehicle for this, but I suppose there could be other possibilities.

So that's my understanding, anyway. If I'm the one that's confused, I hope someone will point it out in the comments.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on May 24, 2007 to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles