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Council approves home-rule petition to authorize automated traffic enforcement, with transparency caveats
Summary
The Somerville City Council approved a home-rule petition authorizing automated enforcement of certain traffic violations and discussed transparency and alignment with the city's surveillance technology ordinance.
The Somerville City Council approved a home-rule petition authorizing automated enforcement of certain traffic violations and sent the petition toward the mayor and the state. The council recorded a vote in favor with nine councilors supporting the action and two absent.
Members of the committee on legislative matters reviewed a draft home-rule petition and discussed equity implications, possible fee levels and how automated enforcement might interact with the city's surveillance-technology ordinance. The committee chair said the draft maintains flexibility to avoid issuing automated violations in cases an on-scene officer would not cite.
Yasmin Radassy, legislative liaison for the administration, asked that implementation of any camera-based automated enforcement be done transparently and in a manner consistent with the city's surveillance technology reporting requirements. Committee members said the petition is intended to provide a local mechanism should state legislation not proceed and noted they plan to seek appropriate statutory and procedural safeguards.
The council accepted the committee recommendation and approved the home-rule petition (item 25-0781) by roll call.
