By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

The Iowa House has voted to establish statewide regulations for automated traffic cameras that generate tickets for speeding and running red lights.

Tickets could only be issued if a vehicle is caught going at least 10 miles an hour over the posted speed limit. “While I certainly would prefer to ban these outrigt, the longer we sit around and do nothing on this, the more we’re seeing these systems being abused across our state,” said Representative Phil Thompson, a Republican from Boone.

Representative Brian Best, a Republican from Glidden, said after years of wrangling, it’s clear there’s no perfect answer, but it’s time to act. “Without this amendment and this bill…I think there’s going to be a lot of unwanted and unneeded traffic cameras that are going to keep springing up,” Best said.

The bill would require revenue from traffic camera tickets to be used on law enforcement budgets. Republican Representative John Wills of Spirit Lake wanted to go further and ban all traffic cameras.

“We don’t have to be found guilty just because our car was there, our license plate was there,” Wills said.

If the bill becomes law, cities that want to have traffic cameras would have to get a permit from the Iowa Department of Transportation. Cities with fewer than 20,000 residents could not have mobile cameras that change locations. The bill passed on an 85-12 vote and now goes to the Senate.