PIERRE | State and local governments in South Dakota would be prohibited from contracting with any private company for red light traffic camera services under a measure that received final legislative approval Monday.

The House of Representatives voted 64-6 in favor. HB 1100 now heads to Gov. Dennis Daugaard for his decision on whether to sign it into law.

The prime sponsor is Rep. Peggy Gibson, D-Huron. She said a government could still spend millions of dollars for its own device if there was support.

The House passed a previous version of her bill 69-1 that sought to ban governments from using photo devices for speeding and red light violations. But a Senate committee blocked it.

Sen. Ryan Maher, R-Isabel, revived the bill through several parliamentary maneuvers to restrict the legislations scope to only red lights and to ban only the contracts.

The Senate voted 26-9 for Mahers limited version last week.

Rep. Tona Rozum, R-Mitchell, was the only vote against Gibsons original bill in the House. She questioned again Monday whether the ban is needed because no one is using a traffic camera to issue tickets in South Dakota.

Gibson said there is a lawsuit pending over the red light camera that was previously used in Sioux Falls.

That didnt deter Rozum. I think we have a solution that is sort of searching around the corners for a problem to pop up, he said.

Originally posted here:

Red light camera ban awaits governor's signature