As we draw near the first legislative “funnel” deadline Friday, the pace of subcommittee work on various policy bills has picked up significantly. I was pleased to sponsor and chair the subcommittee for one particular bill that made it past the first funnel, House File 2109, which deals with the regulation of automated traffic enforcement cameras (aka “traffic cams”).
Traffic cams have been a controversial issue ever since they were first implemented by Iowa cities several years ago. Primarily, the argument has been over whether the real purpose of these traffic enforcement devices is public safety or increased revenue for municipalities. The perception from the general public has typically sided with the latter argument.
When you consider that this type of traffic enforcement has been delegated to third-party, for-profit contractors that also benefit financially from citations issued from their machines and these same contractors are allowed to certify their own devices without any oversight from the state, it is not difficult to see why most Iowans would draw this conclusion.
In years past, there have been several attempts in the Iowa Legislature to institute an outright ban on traffic cams given the numerous conflicts of interest these devices produce. All of which have been unsuccessful.
Still the fact remains that the public’s confidence in the stated justification for using traffic cams in not very high.
That is why I introduced House File 2109 this year to help provide some oversight and transparency to the usage and justification of traffic cams. Interestingly enough, traffic cam proponents argued, at the subcommittee hearing, that even proposed regulations would amount to an effectual ban on these units.
In 2014, the Iowa Department of Transportation put forth administrative rules that would govern the use of automated traffic enforcement on primary highway systems (interstates, U.S. and Iowa routes). These comprehensive rules establish standards that would include the rationale for initial implementation, signage, enforcement, accuracy and on-going evaluation to ensure the automated traffic enforcement device is achieving the goal of better public safety. Unfortunately, cities that utilize traffic cams on the primary highways have challenged the DOT’s authority to impose these rules.
House File 2109, as it was passed out of the House Public Safety committee, would clarify that the DOT has jurisdiction to implement and enforce these administrative rules. While this bill does not address the use of traffic cams on city streets and county roadways, it does however provide a good first step in addressing the need for consistent, statewide standards in the calibration, certification, and justification of automated traffic enforcement cameras in Iowa.
Saturday I will be holding town hall meetings in the following locations: Jasper County Farm Bureau Office at 7:30 a.m., Jasper County League of Women Voters at Newton Hy-Vee at 9 a.m., Monroe City Hall at 11 a.m. and Smokey Row in Pleasantville at 1 p.m.
If you are unable to attend one of my scheduled forums, please feel free to contact me with issues or your concerns as they arise. You may do so either by phone 641-218-0185, email greg.heartsill@legis.iowa.gov or when visiting the capitol. I appreciate and welcome your comments and feedback.
Until next time, God bless.