House Approves Traffic Camera Restrictions

The House approved 80-10 a bill that prohibits city and county governments from placing traffic surveillance cameras on federal highways, except where highway work is underway.
The bill (HB1202) would also require signs warning motorists of the cameras to be placed before intersections where they operate. It is scheduled for a Senate vote Tuesday.
At one point in debate, Rep. Chad Faulkner, R-Luttrell, offered an amendment to flatly prohibit use of cameras to ticket motorists for speeding violations.
Sponsor Rep. Joe McCord, R-Maryville, said he sympathized with Faulkner's motion and, in fact, would personally like to prohibit traffic camera enforcement altogether.
But McCord said a study committee will be looking at the issue of traffic surveillance cameras with an eye toward recommending legislation next year.
McCord also said he had promised Rep. Vince Dean, R-East Ridge, chairman of a House Transportation subcommittee, that he would get Dean's approval before taking any amendments.
Dean moved to kill Faulkner's amendment and Faulkner then withdrew it - though saying he was passionate in the belief that cameras are "out of hand" when speeding tickets are issued without a law enforcement officer present.