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Despite A New Ban, Some Texas Cities Can Keep Using Red Light Cameras

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The City of Humble currently operates 10 red light cameras. They’ve been using the cameras since 2007 and the city says it’s given out well over a half-million tickets.

Humble City Manager Jason Stuebe called the program a success.

“Since its inception we have not experienced a single fatal accident at any of the intersections at which the cameras operate as a result of red light running since that time,” said Stuebe.

But despite the new Texas law banning the devices, Stuebe says they plan to keep their cameras running until 2024. That’s under a provision that allows cities to keep giving tickets until the end of their contract with the company that operates the cameras.

“That is a correlation to a Texas constitutional provision that says the Legislature cannot enact any legislation that would interfere with or otherwise contradict government contracts,” added Stuebe.

Another local community that’s been operating red light cameras is Sugar Land.  A city spokesman says their contract has something called an adverse legislation clause, which voids the contract if the state passes a law banning the cameras.

Houston used to have red light cameras but voters decided to turn them off several years ago.

Copyright 2019 Houston Public Media News 88.7

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Gail Delaughter
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