Local officials disagree with the recent legislation that was introduced by State Rep. Dale Washburn (R-Macon) to ban school zone cameras. He stated that the cameras “do not make school zones any safer and do not enhance public safety.”
Local officials disagree with his sentiments about the school zone cameras and safety.
Baldwin Mayor Stephanie Almagno disagreed with the statements made by Washburn, who authored House Bill 225. “Baldwin’s ‘speed zone’ camera is truly a ‘safety zone’ camera,” she said. “The cameras have done their job; traffic is slowing down during the school day.” The school zone cameras in Baldwin are located on Willingham Avenue adjacent to Baldwin Elementary.
Banks County School Superintendent Ann Hopkins disagreed with Washburn as well. “I want to emphasize that we have seen a reduction in accidents in these areas as a result of the focus on speeding,” she said. “These speeding cameras are not only helping support safety for our system, but they are also doing as they are intended and reducing speeds in these high volume areas.” The cameras in Banks County are located on US 441 at Thompson Street.
Now Habersham has reached out to Tallulah Falls Mayor Mike Early and Police Chief Tonya Elrod for comment on HB 225. Neither one has commented on the legislation.
HB 225, introduced by Washburn is not the only bill moving under the Gold Dome addressing school zone cameras. The senate has two bills moving through the chamber as well. Senate Bill 172 would also ban the cameras and Senate Bill 75 provides more regulation on the school zones and the camera systems.
Camera implementation
In 2018, state legislators passed House Bill 978 that allowed local jurisdictions to use “automated traffic enforcement safety devices” in school zones. Then governor, Nathan Deal, signed it into law in May 2018. The law went into effect on July 1 of that year.
Banks County, and the cities of Baldwin and Tallulah Falls have the school zone speed camera systems in place. All three went active a few years after the law that legalized the use of the cameras was signed by the governor in 2018.
Revenue generator
Washburn views the cameras as a revenue generator for local governments who implement the camera systems as well as the vendors who install them. “Instead, they have created an avenue for local governments and out-of-state companies to generate millions of dollars at the expense of everyday Georgians,” he said.
At least four companies operate camera systems around the state of Georgia. All of them are from out-of-state. Those companies are Verra Mobility whose home office is in Mesa, AZ. Blue Line Solutions is based out of Chattanooga, TN. Altumint is located in Lanham, MD. RedSpeed is based in Lombard, IL but operates an office in Georgia. According to those four companies’ websites, they operate in numerous states providing the camera systems to local governments.
Baldwin
Baldwin began school zone camera citation collections in March of 2021. Banks County began collections in June 2021 and Tallulah Falls began collections in September 2022.
For Baldwin, the city council has restricted the revenue generated strictly for public safety purposes and is not included in the general fund. Since March 2021, the city has collected $596,644.68 in revenue from only the citations generated by the school zone cameras. According to city documents, the city has expensed or committed to public safety initiatives $591,188.63.
Some of the public safety initiatives for Baldwin have been commitments for equipment purchases for the police department to include body cameras for officers and a new patrol vehicle. The city has also used some of those funds to purchase a fire truck and make improvements to its fire training facility.
Banks County
Banks County has implemented similar public safety initiatives but more directed to the school system. According to Banks County Finance Manager Randy Failyer, since June 2021, the county has collected $1,169,423 in school zone camera citation revenue. He adds that the county does not retain any of the funds but is directly transferred to the school system.
Hopkins explains how the school system applies those funds to provide school safety. “Banks County Schools works with our local sheriff’s department and GEMA to prioritize needs and align our expenditures based on a comprehensive assessment of our campus,” she said. She adds the school system uses the funds to purchase equipment such as security cameras, radios, fencing, and window safety film.
Tallulah Falls
Tallulah Falls has generated more revenue from the school zone camera citations than Baldwin and Banks County combined. According to City Administrator/Clerk Linda Lapeyrouse, during the period of September 2022 thru April 2024, the town collected $3,220,999.33. During that same period, the town expensed $455,673 on public safety initiatives.
Lapeyrouse explained what those initiatives were. “It includes all costs associated with hiring and keeping a new full time officer, two new patrol cars, drones that are being used by Habersham, Rabun and DNR for emergency services, the beginning of renovations to the city owned Rock House for a new police station, active shooter gear, emergency notification system, emergency alert system at the school, and training,” she said.
Other legislation
Senate Bill 172 is the senate’s version of HB 225. It would repeal the use of all automated traffic enforcement safety devices. It also adds a new code section that states “No contract shall be entered into or renewed by a local governing body or law enforcement agency for the enforcement of speeding violations in a school zone through the use of an automated traffic enforcement safety device on or after the effective date of this Code section.”
In effect, the bill would outlaw the use of the school zone camera systems. If passed, the bill would go into effect on July 1, 2026.
The bill also addresses a 35% rule for speeding violations. Currently, law enforcement agencies are prohibited from issuing speeding tickets as a source of revenue generation. The revenue from those citations are cannot be equal to or greater than 35% of the law enforcement agency’s budget.
This bill includes citations written for code section 40-6-180 or commonly referred to as “driving too fast for conditions” in that 35% rule. The only exception to the 35% rule are speeding citations that are written for 20 MPH or more over the posted speed limit.
Those citations are referred to as “super speeder” tickets. The state collects a fee separate from the issuing law enforcement agency.
Senate Bill 75 would regulate school zones and camera systems by providing standards for school zone sign warnings and the use of signs warning for the use of automated traffic enforcement safety devices. It also addresses when a school zone speed limit may be enforced through the use of an automated traffic enforcement safety device.
