A bill that would allow local governments to resume using cameras to catch drivers who run red lights won approval Wednesday from the House Transportation Committee.
The legislation allows localities to install cameras at one intersection per every 10,000 residents.
“They won’t be on every street corner,” said Del. John Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, the measure’s sponsor.
Local governments would decide whether to use the cameras in their jurisdictions and would have to install signs within 500 feet of the intersections informing motorists of the cameras’ presence. The violations, which police consider civil, will not appear on a driver’s record.
“There’s no points, no court costs, and no penalty greater than $50 can be assessed and no record will be available to insurance companies,” Cosgrove said.
Six Northern Virginia localities — Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Falls Church and Vienna — stopped using the cameras in 2005 when lawmakers failed to pass legislation reauthorizing the devices. Several reauthorization attempts in previous years have stalled in other House committees, but supporters remain hopeful the Senate will pass Cosgrove’s bill next week. The Senate last month passed two bills allowing the cameras. The committee tacked on a provision establishing a $1,000 civil penalty for individuals giving the pictures and information about violators to anyone not associated with law enforcement.
“I don’t want to see my car on the front page of the paper going through a red light,” Del. Dwight Jones, D-Richmond said. “I want there to be a consequence for a journalist or anyone who is using this information for something other than it was intended.”
