Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Red Light Camera Ban Into Law

Updated on Monday, June 3 with information about Gov. Greg Abbott signing the bill into law.AUSTIN — Texas has officially put the breaks on red light cameras.On Saturday, June 1, Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1631 into law, prohibiting cities from operating photographic traffic camera systems that catch citizens speeding or running red lights and issuing them fines."I'm about to sign this bill that bans red light cameras," Abbott said in a video posted to Twitter. Holding the bill up, he then said, "It is now law."While the law went into effect on Sunday, June 2, this doesn't necessarily mean all red light cameras will immediately be a thing of the past. That's because some Texas cities with cameras already in place may be allowed to keep operating them until their current contracts run out. The city of Dallas, for example, signed a decade-long contract in 2017 with an option to opt-out after seven years.Bedford Rep. Jonathan Stickland, a tea party Republican, applauded the bill's passage into law and questioned whether any city would be able to continue operating its cameras. "Politicians finally relented to the pressure applied by citizen activists over red light camera lobbyists," Stickland told The Dallas Morning News on Monday. "Without the work of patriots like Kelly Canon, Byron Schirmbeck, Kelli Cook, and Terri Hall they would still be up and violating our rights for profit. No more, onward!He added, "I'm not sure any cities can legally continue their programs based on the wording of our bill. We are still looking through their contracts to see if any can."  Continue reading...