NASHVILLE -- City councils and county commissions in Tennessee would have to vote to approve placing traffic surveillance cameras on roads and intersections beginning Jan. 1 under a bill passed Thursday.
Senate Bill 3586 passed the House on a 89-4 vote. It previously passed the Senate in a much different form, and now goes back to that chamber to see if senators will agree to the House's changes.
The bill originally began as a measure broadening the scope of services that can be offered by auto clubs. But traffic photo enforcement foes seized on it as a vehicle to implement at least a watered-down version of their restrictions that have been stymied in legislative committee.
Efforts to ban cameras in specific counties and communities were withdrawn Thursday after sponsors warned they would cause problems.
Rep. Frank Nicely, R-Strawberry Plains, reluctantly withdrew an amendment that would have banned cameras in Jefferson County, warning that the United States is "quickly becoming one nation under surveillance."
"They can Photoshop these things," he said. "They can put your head on somebody else's body."
But Rep. Vince Dean, R-East Ridge, a retired Chattanooga police lieutenant and former East Ridge mayor who has defended traffic cameras in the past, later appeared to admonish colleagues over their rush to interfere with local governments' ability to use cameras to enforce laws.
"I hesitate to say this one last thing," he said. "I know this is a very passionate issue for folks. Unfortunately, our constituents are the ones who get these traffic citations too often. And unfortunately, they call us when they get these traffic citations for violating the law.
"And I just say," he continued sarcastically, "how dare us expect the citizens of Tennessee to abide by the state laws that we've enacted on the streets?"
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Charles Curtiss, D-Sparta. House members voted 86-7 for an amendment by Rep. Joe McCord, R-Maryville, that restricts use of cameras.
One says that, beginning Jan. 1, local governments cannot place or operate a camera on highways receiving state funds unless the location is approved specifically by a city council or county commission by ordinance or resolution after two public hearings on different days.
Rep. Curtiss said the provision would not apply to existing camera contracts but would apply to extensions or new ones.
A second provision says no traffic citation can be reported to the state Department of Safety or to any credit reporting agency for any purpose.
A third states that a traffic-camera fine cannot exceed $50, which is current law. Violators could not be charged more than $50 for late payments, and court costs could not be imposed unless the violator actually contests the citation.