Local Republican tries to do away with red-light cameras
A suburban Republican wants to do away with the state law that allows red-light cameras to spy on drivers.
State Rep. David McSweeney, a Barrington Hills Republican, introduced the legislation following reports that cameras in Chicago didn't help intersections become safer.
Many suburbs also have many red-light cameras, which allow police to ticket drivers whose cars are photographed running red lights or turning right on red without making a full stop.
“Red-light cameras primarily serve as a revenue enhancement tool at great cost to taxpayers,” McSweeney said.
Top Democrats in the Illinois House and Senate haven't in the past shown a willingness to reverse the law.
State Sen. Dan Duffy, a Lake Barrington Republican, has tried to do away with the cameras before, but the legislation hasn't advanced. He also has pushed for a proposal that would add one second to yellow lights when a traffic signal has a camera watching.
That proposal didn't move either, and McSweeney said he'd support Duffy's work on the issue.
Late last year the Illinois Supreme Court declined to issue a ruling in a case trying to toss out the red-light camera law, allowing the eyes in the sky to remain.