SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 2426

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Title: An act relating to authorizing local authorities to continue operating automated traffic safety cameras to detect speed violations outside of school speed zones after participating in a pilot program for at least three consecutive years.

Background: Under current law, local governments may use automated traffic safety cameras to detect stoplight, railroad crossing, or school speed zone violations. Use of the cameras is restricted to two arterial intersections, railroad crossings, and school speed zones. However, during the current fiscal biennium, the cameras may also be used to detect speed violations, including outside of school speed zones, in the cities of Seattle and Tacoma as part of a pilot project continued in the 2013-2015 state transportation budget. The pilot project is overseen by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (Commission).

The cameras may only take pictures of the vehicle and the vehicle's license plate while an infraction is occurring, and must not reveal the face of the driver or passengers. Infractions detected through the use of cameras are not part of the registered owner's driving record. Additionally, infractions must be processed like parking infractions, and fines issued for infractions may not exceed the amount of fines issued for other local parking infractions. However, the fine issued for a stoplight violation that is detected through the use of a camera may not exceed the monetary penalty for a violation of the requirement to follow official traffic control devices, currently $124.

Summary of Bill: If a local jurisdiction has operated an automated traffic safety camera for speed detection purposes for at least three years under a legislatively authorized pilot project with the Commission, the jurisdiction may continue to do so without further biennial authorization from the Legislature and Commission oversight.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This bill allows Seattle and Tacoma to continue using a traffic safety camera to detect speed violations. In Tacoma the camera is being used in a location that is problematic for speed violations and the camera significantly helped reduce serious accidents at that spot. Seattle and Tacoma have been successfully operating speed cameras under a pilot project since 2009. The bill does not expand the number of jurisdictions eligible to use cameras for speed detection; it would be up to the Legislature to authorize an expansion in the future.