During the final week of the spring session, the General Assembly approved legislation seeking to address the ongoing ethical concerns over automated traffic enforcement systems. HB 3903 (Rep. Davis/Sen. Murphy) includes the following provisions:
- Prohibits campaign contributions from any contractor that provides equipment and services for automated law enforcement, automated speed enforcement, or automated railroad grade crossing enforcement systems to municipalities or counties, as well as any political action committee created by the contractor.
- Requires an automated speed enforcement system or automated traffic law ordinance adopted by a municipality or county to stipulate that a citation can be issued only by the county or municipality -- not by the vendor.
- Mandates signage for drivers where automated traffic camera exists.
- Prohibits any officer or employee of a municipality or county, or a member of the General Assembly, from accepting employment or compensation for services from contractors that provide municipalities/counties with automated law enforcement system equipment or services.
- Directs that every two years, there is to be a statistical analysis of the safety impacts of automated traffic law enforcement systems and automated speed enforcement systems.
- Requires IDOT to act within 90 days on permit applications for a county or municipality that changed vendors (so long as that vendor operates in another county of municipality).
- Mandates IDOT to authorize the reinstallation of any system (within 30 days after the construction is complete) that was rendered inoperable due to construction.
- Allows IDOT to revoke a permit when officials with a contractor or vendor are charged with certain offenses.
- Directs that six months before a county or municipality installs an automated traffic law enforcement system at an intersection, it may not change the yellow change interval at that intersection.
The Governor will next consider the legislation. ISACo did not take a position on the bill.