GOP nixes Ohio construction zone cameras

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio Senate Republicans have thrown a roadblock in front of a proposal to let traffic cameras ticket motorists speeding through construction zones.

Opposition from the Senate’s GOP majority got that plan dropped Tuesday from a $7.6 billion state transportation spending blueprint. Tom Patton of suburban Cleveland, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, called the cameras “Big Brother in the sky.”

Senate Republicans also have ditched another provision to make seat-belt violations a primary traffic offense, allowing police to pull over a motorist simply for not buckling up.

Both proposals were in a transportation budget that earlier this month cleared the Ohio House, which is led by Democrats. The House and Senate will need to smooth out their differences.