Georgia lawmaker introduces bill to ban speed cameras in school zones

• State Rep. Dale Washburn, R-Ga., has introduced a bill in the Georgia House to ban speed cameras from being used in school zones. It comes seven years after the state passed a law allowing the use of cameras instead of police officers.
• While the cameras have inefficiency issues, police and school safety advocates say the cameras keep kids and their parents safe.
• Washburn’s bill has been co-signed by 100 lawmakers, more than a required majority of the Georgia House.

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Lawmakers in Georgia are preparing for a fight over a proposal to ban speed cameras in school zones. A 2018 law allowed cities and counties to use automated cameras to catch and cite speeders.

The cameras have brought in millions of dollars for local governments, but the bill’s lead sponsor, State Rep. Dale Washburn, R, told local TV station Fox 5 Atlanta that he believes it’s hurting citizens.

“It is taxation by citation, and it is wrong,” Washburn said. “Local governments are raking in huge amounts of money across the state of Georgia, and our citizens are being victimized by it.”

What are the bill’s chances?

Washburn’s bill has 100 cosigners, which is a majority of state House members.

And while he expects camera manufacturers to lobby against the bill, it’s also facing pushback from law enforcement officers and road safety advocates.

“At the end of the day, we believe that it’s resulted in our school zones being a much safer place,” South Fulton Police Chief Keith Meadows told Atlanta News First.

What do safety groups say?

Ashley Rose-Toomer, president of the school road safety group Give School Kids a Brake, said lawmakers were prioritizing listening to the wrong people — specifically speeders breaking the law.

“Folks that go 11 miles over the posted speed limit, folks that are breaking the law, quite significantly, why are they considered victims?” Rose-Toomer asked.

And then there’s the issue of accuracy. Both Washburn and Fox 5 Atlanta cited evidence of drivers receiving tickets for speeding during restricted hours, but when the lights signaling the lower speed limit were not on, or outside the times when schools were in session.