I-TEAM UPDATE: Ga. bills to limit school zone speed cameras move forward
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - After Crossover Day at the Georgia State Capitol — two new House bills made it to the Senate for debate.
Both bills are related to automated school zone speed cameras, operating across the state.
Your I-Team uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars were being collected by law enforcement agencies and municipalities in the CSRA.
House Bill 225 and 651 are moving to the Senate for debate — but there are still major hurdles they have to get through.
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Rep. Dale Washburn, republican of District 144, says, “This system is wrong, it is abusive, and it needs to be stopped.”
Under the gold dome, lawmakers held rigorous debates.
Rep. Danny Mathis, a Republican for District 133, says, “The good intent for this has gone way out the window. “
All on automated school speed cameras across Georgia.
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Rep. Jason Ridley, a Republican for District 6, expresses, “I think the abuse that you speak of, we’ve all seen it.”
Since 2019, at least 278 cameras have popped up across the state. They’re ticketing drivers — sometimes outside school hours, and without flashing lights.
Representative Dale Washburn filed House Bill 225. His goal is to completely repeal the 2018 law allowing these cameras.
“People are fully aware of the abusive nature of this school zone camera operation,” Washburn says.
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But others say... not so fast.
Bob Dallas, a consultant with Blue Line Solutions says, “I’ve not seen anything work as well as speed cameras and the program with them.”
And Andy Gibbs with the City of Valdosta explained “The whole idea of this is to reduce speeding in school zones only.”
Just in our area alone, your I-Team found the Burke County Sheriff’s Office and Board of Education Raked in more than $570,000 in just 7 months.
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The City of Wrens collected nearly $450,000 since 2022.
“It is wrong to allow our citizens to be ravaged like this,” Washburn says.
But your I-Team also uncovered the BOE’s Permit submitted to the Georgia Department of Transportation says the cameras will run one hour before classes, and one hour after dismissal.
Burke County’s cameras are on all day, according to their sign.
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We also found the radar being used is not on the approved list of speed detection devices with the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
In a committee hearing, Senator Washburn pointed to what your I-Team uncovered about speed cameras and questioned if such cameras are for protection or profit.
“I got an email last week from a little county over in the Augusta area,” Washburn says. “They have put these in and there’s one school, it’s on a by, there’s no sidewalk, there’s no kids walking. They have collected half a million dollars in seven months.
But now lawmakers, like Representative Alan Powell, are trying to cool the temperature on the issue.
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He’s introduced House Bill 651 — which is also now on its way to the Senate for debate.
Powell explains, “We’re giving them a second bite to look at something that’s a whole lot more rational and a whole lot more workable.”
He wants to clean the bill up – by adding guardrails.
It includes a four-hour window the cameras can operate — an hour before and after arriving to school, and an hour before and after dismissal.
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Also, half of any generated revenue will go towards local schools for school safety grants, which the county would disburse.
“It was done for school safety, but it’s gotten out of hand,” Powell exclaims.
There’s still concern the bills won’t make it to the finish line — much like last year.
Rep. Dewey McClain, a Democrat from District 109, says, “Follow the money, and if you follow the money you’ll see where we’re going with this.”
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Your I-Team uncovered state lawmakers profited off these camera companies, too. RedSpeed Georgia and Blue Line Solutions donated nearly $550,000 to lawmakers from 2019 to 2025. Altumint... which runs the cameras in Burke County, donated $350.
All of that money is going to lawmakers, public officials, and committees meant to represent the taxpayer.
House Bill 651 would also remove the ability to block a vehicle’s registration over unpaid fines.
Your I-Team is still working to get the citations from the Sheriff’s Office and the camera company. We have not heard back.
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