Second judge blocks new state rules on traffic cameras

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

A second Ohio county judge has rejected new state restrictions on traffic cameras, saying Friday the rules violate local-government powers that cities have under the state constitution.

Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Barbara Gorman granted a permanent injunction to the city of Dayton against rules including requiring that police officers be present when cameras are used to catch speeding motorists or red-light runners.

“The statute simply mandates to local jurisdictions how to allocate their law enforcement personnel,” Gorman wrote, calling it “an impermissible limit” in violation of local “home-rule” powers. Other requirements such as conducting a traffic study of the previous three-year period and having a public-relations campaign to inform motorists before cameras are used also impermissibly limit municipal powers, she ruled.

“The state has placed an onerous burden on local municipalities seeking to administratively enforce their own traffic control procedures,” Gorman stated.

Spokesman Dan Tierney said the Ohio Attorney General’s Office plans to appeal the ruling against the law passed late last year.

The Ohio Supreme Court has twice upheld automated camera enforcement, which draws criticism from opponents who say it runs over motorists’ rights and is mainly used to raise revenue. Legislators had said the law they passed allowed cameras, but just added requirements for their use.