Friday, February 10, 2006

House of Delegates Votes to Ban Photo Radar, Red Light Cameras

The West Virginia House of Delegates today passed HB 4004, preempting the use of photo enforcement of traffic laws, on a vote of 88-3. Delegates Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, Tom Louisos, D-Fayette, and Charles Trump, R-Morgan, opposed the bill.

While neither photo radar nor red light cameras are used in West Virginia, supporters of the bill want to prevent towns eyeing motorists' wallets from following the lead of several cities in Ohio and Maryland that have recently begun using these devices. Try imagining photo radar in Summersville--Yikes! Last year, the Virginia General Assembly allowed a red light camera enabling law to sunset and will likely not reauthorize the program.