California is once again eyeing its intersections, this time with a few more cameras in mind. A new bill aims to expand the use of red-light cameras statewide, building on a five-year pilot program that ran in several cities. The proposal is part of a broader push to improve intersection safety. Cameras like these are not without controversy, and perhaps to ease local concerns, fines for first-time offenders could be reduced.

 

Senate Bill No. 720, introduced by Sen. Angelique Ashby, would authorize the use of automated traffic cameras in cities and counties that opt in to existing speed camera programs. A pilot program has already been in place for several years in Los Angeles, San Jose, Glendale, Oakland, Long Beach, and San Francisco. The new bill seeks to address some of the issues that emerged during that trial period.