California Governor Signs, Vetoes Red Light Camera Bills

The Newspaper
by The Newspaper

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) last week approved one bill and vetoed another, ensuring that the state government would maximize its share of red light camera revenue. On Wednesday, Schwarzenegger blocked legislation that would have slashed the fine for rolling right turn on red from $500 to $250 ( view bill). The potential loss of income from the change raised opposition outside the legislature.

The California League of Cities referred to the bill as a “de facto prohibition” on red light cameras because turning tickets account for up to 90 percent of the tickets issued in many jurisdictions. The state collects about $175 from each turning ticket, an amount that would have been cut in half had the bill been signed. The resulting reduction would cost the cash-strapped state government millions every year.

“I am returning Assembly Bill 909 without my signature,” Schwarzenegger wrote in his veto message. “A driver running a red-light, whether they are traveling straight, or turning right, makes a very dangerous traffic movement that endangers the nearby motoring public, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Modifying existing law to make red-light violations from a right turn less egregious sends the wrong message to the public that California is tolerant of these types of offenses. It is our responsibility to protect the motoring public and not increase the risk of traffic collisions. Therefore, I am unable to sign this bill.”

Because of the slow speeds involved, right-turn on red collisions are extremely rare. According to US Department of Transportation statistics, one could drive over a billion miles before being involved in such a crash. On Thursday, Schwarzenegger signed a separate bill into law whose primary purpose was to ensure the state would keep its $175 share of all photo enforcement fines — including those from right turns.

A number of jurisdictions had turned to creating “ administrative tickets” for red light camera fines and regular speeding tickets as a means of cutting the state and county out of the process. By citing motorists under municipal ordinances instead of under the state vehicle code, cities reduced the cost of a ticket from $500 each to $150 for the first offense, $300 for a second and $500 for a third. Instead of splitting the revenue with the state and county, however, the city kept all of it. Senate Bill 949 cancels this practice by explicitly denying localities authority to issue such tickets for offenses covered by the state vehicle code.

“This section does not authorize a local authority to enact or enforce an ordinance or resolution that establishes a violation if a violation for the same or similar conduct is provided in this code, nor does it authorize a local authority to enact or enforce an ordinance or resolution that assesses a fine, penalty, assessment, or fee for a violation if a fine, penalty, assessment, or fee for a violation involving the same or similar conduct is provided in this code,” the new law states.

The law takes effect on July 1, 2011. Because the administrative tickets did not report citations to the Department of Motor Vehicles, the citations did not carry license points. This irked companies like AAA, which makes money from raising insurance rates on recipients of license points, and companies that sponsor traffic schools, because motorists only take the school to keep points from going on their driving record.

[Courtesy: Thenewspaper.com]

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  • George B George B on Oct 04, 2010

    Try to obey the law and take a right turn on red. You're supposed to stop at the white line some insane distance back from the intersection where you can't see the street you're entering. Then you're supposed to stop again where you can see, and then accelerate into the flow of traffic. Normal drivers instead roll across the stupid paint, stop and look for traffic near the cross street, and if there is an opening, accelerate onto the cross street. That normal safe driver action generates the red light revenue.

  • Joeaverage Joeaverage on Oct 04, 2010

    Stop at the white line and then pull forward slowly to see if it is safe. So they can get you for stopping properly and then trying to make your turn only to find it is not safe afterall? GRIN!

  • Master Baiter "That said, the Inflation Reduction Act apparently does run afoul of WTO rules..."Pfft. The Biden administration doesn't care about rules. The Supreme Court said they couldn't forgive student load debt; they did it anyway. Decorum and tradition says you don't prosecute former presidents; they are doing it anyway. They made the CDC suspend evictions though they had no constitutional authority to do so.
  • 1995 SC Good. To misquote Sheryl Crow "If it makes them unhappy, it can't be that bad"
  • 1995 SC The letters on the hatch aren't big enough. hard pass
  • Ajla Those letters look like they are from AutoZone.
  • Analoggrotto Kia EV9 was voted the best vehicle in the world and this is the best TOYOTA can do? Nice try, next.
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