Senate committee advances expanded automated speed and red-light camera program with funding, guardrails

The Senate Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts on Thursday voted to pass House Bill 12-31 with amendments to Ways and Means and Judiciary, moving forward a package to expand red-light and automated speed enforcement and to phase implementation over time.

The measure, as amended during the committee’s decision session, incorporates funding and operational language from House Bill 11-66 and sets a phased rollout of camera locations, directs certain funds toward Safe Routes to School priorities, and includes limits on use of camera images and data.

Why it matters: supporters said automated enforcement can reduce crashes and protect pedestrians and bicyclists, while the judiciary and others warned the program would create a sudden increase in case volume unless systems and staffing are modernized. The committee’s amendments try to balance public-safety goals with operational capacity and…