96 Georgia Lawmakers Sign on to Bill to Repeal School Zone Speed Cameras

At least 96 members of the Georgia House have signed on to a bill that would repeal a provision permitting the use of unmanned speed cameras used in school zones across the state.

33 of the lawmakers are ones who voted to implement the legislation nine years ago while others are among the many who have received campaign donations from the speed camera companies RedSpeed and Blue Line Solutions.

The bill seeks to repeal in its entirety the provisions that allow local governments to operate unmanned speed cameras in school zones at any time.

The strong showing represents more than 50% of the Georgia House of Representatives, which has 180 members. Still, the bill has a long journey to make through the legislative process and must clear through at least two gatekeepers who facilitated tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from the companies profiting from the cameras.

Camera Use

Legislation permitting the use of these particular speed cameras took effect in 2018. The cameras, at this time, can only be used in a school zone. Drivers who exceed the speed limit during school zone hours or by 10 mph during any other period are captured on camera. Unlike red light cameras, which depict a picture of the driver, speed zone cameras snap a photo of only the license tag with a remotely operated device, which uploads to the private company’s database. The private company issues a violation notice, collects the payment, and sends a split to the municipality or county. 

The violation is not a criminal violation but rather a civil matter handled nearly entirely without law enforcement with ultimate repercussions including a vehicle lien by the Georgia Department of Revenue. A certified peace officer must approve the violations within 60 days of the image capture and the signature of that officer, the badge number, and the government entity logo appear on the Notice of Violation sent to the vehicle owner. The individual then pays the private company and the company shares in the profits with the approving law enforcement agency.

In many cases, the revenue totals tens of thousands of dollars a month, which has prompted the condemnation from some Sheriffs in Georgia who have called the scheme one for ‘generating revenue.’

Additionally, unlike speed detection devices used by sworn peace officers, the equipment is not frequently calibrated to ensure accuracy. Sometimes calibration occurs only once or twice per year. The contracts outsource the recordkeeping of public records and the burden is placed on the individual to prove they were not driving the vehicle at the time of the violation, instead of the on the issuer of the violation.

Since the provision was approved by lawmakers in 2017, more than $588,000 has funneled into the campaign coffers of elected officials in Georgia. Read more about that here.

2025 Bill Sponsors

Note: The list is sorted alphabetically by last name with the exception of the first 6 names since they are the sponsors of the legislation. Story continues below.

The bill has been assigned to the House Motor Vehicles committee, which is chaired by Rep. John Corbett. Corbett is one of the bill’s sponsors. If the bill clears the committee, it must pass out of the House Rules Committee before it can go to the House floor for a vote. It must be approved by a majority of House members by Crossover Day which is March 6. If approved by the House, the bill must then go through the same process on the Senate side – all before the 40th day of the legislative session – Friday, April 4.

Presumably one of the largest hurdles for the legislation is Republican leadership. Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, who is the gatekeeper for bills in the Georgia Senate, was one of the top recipients of campaign donations from the speed cameras, followed by the Georgia Senate Republican Trust and the Georgia House Republican Trust. The latter indicates the bill must garner the support of Speaker Jon Burns before it can be voted on by the House.