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Work zone speed cameras bill finally passes Indiana Senate

Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) authored a camera traffic enforcement bill for years. But it had been blocked in committee and on the Senate floor before finally passing the Senate this year.
Alan Levine
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Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) authored a camera traffic enforcement bill for years. But it had been blocked in committee and on the Senate floor before finally passing the Senate this year.

Legislation to allow highway work zone speed cameras cleared an important hurdle Tuesday – the Senate approved the measure after years of rejecting it.

Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) has authored a camera traffic enforcement bill for years. But it had been blocked in committee and on the Senate floor.

He said it’s now more important than ever to give the state another tool to slow down drivers.

"As we’re investing more and more into our highways, we’re putting more and more of our Hoosiers out on these highways," Ford said. "And what has been proven in other states is these systems have slowed people down."

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Under the bill, SB 179, drivers would be ticketed if they’re caught on camera going at least 11 miles per hour over the speed limit when workers are present.

The first violation would only be a warning. A $75 fine comes with the second ticket, and $150 for each ticket after that. Drivers would not have points added to their license for those violations.

The measure now faces an uncertain future in the House, where a similar bill failed to make it to the floor this year.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.