NASHVILLE -- Cities rushing to renew contracts with traffic surveillance camera companies would have to take into account any changes in state law under a bill that proponents hope to "rocket through" to the House floor, lawmakers say.
Rep. Phillip Johnson, R-Pegram, said Wednesday the purpose of the legislation is "to send the message to the local municipalities that we're trying to develop some consistent standards, and we would like them all to understand they should comply."
The bill would mandate that cities and camera vendors entering new or renewed contracts include "conspicuous" language that notes operation of traffic surveillance cameras are governed by state law as enacted by the General Assembly.
The legislation further directs the contract to include language that "the parties hereby stipulate that any subsequent change in (state law) shall require the parties to modify the terms of this contract in accordance with such statutory change."
Lawmakers are trying to develop statewide standards to rein in Tennessee cities' growing use -- critics charge abuse -- of traffic cameras to nab speeders and red-light violators. Proponents hope to get the traffic camera legislation to the House floor as early as next week.
The legislation would not affect the city of Red Bank, Rep. Johnson said. Fearing new legislative restrictions on the cameras, including a proposed two-year moratorium on renewals of existing agreements with camera companies, Red Bank officials this month signed a 12-year extension of their existing contract.
"That didn't set well with anybody," Rep. Johnson said. "But knowing that we can't affect existing contracts, I'm sure they were getting ahead of the game."
While the full House Transportation Committee continues to weigh what restrictions to impose in a formal bill, the panel on Tuesday separately voted to attach an amendment about camera contract renewals on an unrelated bill that originally eliminated the state's issuance of sandhill crane specialty license plates.
The Senate sponsor of the sandhill crane bill is Sen. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, who helped lead the original charge against the traffic cameras' use.
Transportation Committee Vice Chairman Vince Dean, R-East Ridge, said the bill "delves into changing contracts that are existing. I don't know whether we can do that."
Rep. Dean, a retired Chattanooga policeman and former East Ridge mayor, said he has an amendment he would like to put on the main bill dealing with comprehensive statewide standards. His amendment would remove the proposed moratorium on renewing existing contracts.
Rep. Johnson's amendment is attached to a bill sponsored by House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Harmon, D-Dunlap, a traffic camera critic.
"I guess I'm still thinking about the amendment," Rep. Harmon said. "There are some constitutionality questions there. But I don't think anybody is crazy about cities going out and extending their contracts by 10 or 12 years."
He said lobbyists for traffic camera companies are upset, noting "two or three jumped me" about the Johnson amendment.
Red Bank's city manager, Chris Dorsey, recently called the possible state restrictions "unfair" to Red Bank since other cities with lengthier contracts would not have to alter their deals. His city's contract was set to expire in 2011. The 12-year extension has a termination clause for every three years.