The City of Akron filed a lawsuit in order to stop recent traffic camera legislation from going into effect. SB 342 requires that a police officer be present when a traffic camera is in operation, making traffic cameras economically infeasible for most cities. The new law also creates procedural requirements and states that motorists can only receive traffic camera tickets if they are going at least 6 miles over the speed limit in a school zone or park and at least 10 miles over the speed limit in other locations. The City seeks an injunction to prevent SB 342 from going into effect March 23, 2015.
In its complaint, Akron asserts that the statute violates the Home Rule provision of the Ohio Constitution. The other plaintiff in the suit, American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (ATS), claims the legislation violates constitutional provisions against laws impairing the obligation of contracts, U.S. Constitution Article 1, Section 10, clause 1 and Ohio Constitution Article II, Section 28. Akron and other Ohio cities are currently under contract with ATS to administer and operate photo enforcement programs.
See Cleveland.com Akron sues to stop Ohio’s new traffic-camera law
