Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House approves school-safety bill that standardizes school zones and allows local enforcement options
Summary
HB13-18 standardizes school-zone definitions, allows localities to adopt options including automated enforcement and school streets, and includes data‑privacy and camera-review debate; several camera-related amendments were defeated before passage.
The House passed HB13-18, a bill that standardizes what constitutes a school zone and gives local governments options to enhance safety around schools.
Sponsors presented four local options: automatic enforcement systems (AVIS cameras), school streets (closures/slow zones), participation in Safe Routes to School projects, and additional signage funded in collaboration with local governments. Representative Froelich said the bill "standardize[s] what it means to be a school zone" and clarified that localities cannot shrink a school zone without a public hearing.
Floor debate emphasized privacy and enforcement trade-offs. Representative Richardson and others argued officers provide dynamic deterrence and expressed concern that automated-identification systems capture data on every vehicle passing a zone. Multiple amendments to limit or require sworn-officer review of automated-enforcement data were proposed; the version requiring officer review before issuing notices was defeated, and several camera-limitation amendments also failed. Supporters said cameras can free officers for other duties and improve enforcement consistency; critics warned about surveillance, data sale and processing, and revenue incentives.
After debate and votes on amendments, HB13-18 passed the House as amended; sponsors pledged to continue stakeholder work on data privacy and implementation guidance for automated enforcement.
