The Texas Senate did not have enough votes today to debate or vote on a House bill that would have banned cities from using cameras to issue civil citations for red-light runners.
Rep. Gary Elkins, R-Houston, the bill’s sponsor, criticized the use of the cameras, saying it increases rear-end collisions and serves as a moneymaking mechanism for cities.
In 2003, legislators rejected a bill giving cities authority to issue criminal citations to red-light runners caught on camera, but they approved a change to the transportation code that year allowing civil tickets.
Elkins' bill would have once again prohibited the use of tickets from red-light cameras.
A poll by Zogby International for the National Campaign To Stop Red Light Running showed that 65 percent of the registered voters surveyed in Texas wanted cities to be able to use the cameras to crack down on motorists who run red lights.
More than 100 U.S. cities and towns used the cameras to enforce traffic signal laws, the campaign said.
Click Here For National Campaign To Stop Red Light Running Web Site
TEXAS LEGISLATURE
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CENTRAL TEXAS STATE SENATORS:
Sen. Kip Averitt, R-McGregor
(State Sen. District 22 includes: Bosque, Coryell, Ellis, Falls, Hill, Hood, Johnson, McLennan, Navarro, Somervell Counties)
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Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay
(State Sen. District 24 includes: Bell, Blanco, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, Gillespie, Hamilton, Kerr, Kimble, Lampasas, Llano, McCulloch, Mason, Menard, Mills, San Saba, Taylor Counties)
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Sen. Steve Odgen, R-Bryan
(State Sen. District 5 includes: Brazos, Burleson, Freestone, Grimes, Houston, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Milam, Robertson, Trinity, Walker, Williamson Counties)
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CENTRAL TEXAS STATE REPRESENTATIVES
Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana
(State Rep. District 8 includes: Anderson, Freestone, Limestone, Navarro Counties)
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State Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie
(State Rep. District 10 includes: Hill, Ellis Counties)
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State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown
(State Rep. District 20 includes: Milam, Williamson-part, Counties)
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State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville
(State Rep. District 53 includes: Callahan, Coleman, Concho, Crockett, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, McCulloch, Mason, Menard, Real, Runnels, San Saba, Schleicher, Sutton Counties)
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Rep. Suzanna Gratia Hupp, R-Lampasas
(State Rep. District 54 includes: Bell-part, Burnet, Lampasas Counties)
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Rep. Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple
(State Rep. District 55 includes: Bell-part County)
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Rep. Charles Anderson, R-Waco
(State Rep. District 56 includes: McLennan-part County)
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Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco
(State Rep. District 57 includes: Falls, Leon, McLennan-part, Madison, Robertson Counties)
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Rep. Rob Orr, R-Burleson
(State Rep. District 58 includes: Bosque, Johnson Counties)
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Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville
(State Rep. District 59 includes: Comanche, Coryell, Erath, Hamilton, Mills, Somervell Counties)
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