Iberia Parish weighing whether to assume school‑zone speed cameras as legal questions linger
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Summary
Council held an extended debate after New Iberia officials asked the parish to assume operation of BlueLine school‑zone speed cameras on Bassett/Dasset Road. Members cited state Acts 103 and 107 and an attorney‑general opinion, and agreed to gather more information and seek school board input before any transfer.
Brooke Marcotte, a New Iberia city councilwoman, told the Iberia Parish Council on Jan. 14 that speed cameras installed at Dasset Road school zones have slowed traffic and encouraged many residents to ask the city to keep them in place. "If you drive through the school zones that have the cameras, you can see they are working. People are driving much slower," Marcotte said during public comment.
Council members and staff responded with a lengthy exchange about the legal and administrative steps required for a parish government to operate automated enforcement. Councilman Warren Gosselin cited state legislation and an attorney‑general opinion and urged caution: he distributed Act 103 of 2024 and Act 107 of 2025 and said AG Opinion No. 25‑0114 (Oct. 17, 2025) makes clear a cooperative endeavor agreement (CEA) with the local school governing authority must be in place for automated school‑zone enforcement. Gosselin said the AG opinion also warns that funds already collected without complying with the later law may need to be returned to ticketed individuals.
A recorded clip of Sen. Kathy Stewart played for the council reiterated that "there shall be a cooperative endeavor agreement between the parish government and the local school board" and that a CEA must define revenue sharing before a municipality or parish may run cameras. Brad Norris, a school board member who spoke to the council, said the board historically "did not want the money" and that, to his knowledge, it had not executed a written CEA for those cameras. He indicated the board would be willing to consider a properly framed request.
Council members raised practical alternatives and concerns. Several suggested the sheriff place deputies at the school zone to write citations, which convert to criminal penalties and carry different consequences than the current civil‑penalty camera system. Others noted the cameras were installed under the city's contract with BlueLine and that installation and vendor recoupment terms affect costs. No formal transfer or CEA was approved; the council voted to move the topic to the full council for further study and asked administration to gather legal guidance and consult the school board.
The committee discussion emphasized process: multiple members said they support school‑zone safety but will not proceed without clarity on statutory authority, the CEA requirement, vendor contracts and the AG opinion. The council asked staff to return with more information, to solicit the school board’s position formally, and to explore interim enforcement by law enforcement while the legal questions are resolved.
