Arizona House OKs Bill on Photo Radar on State Highways

State transportation officials will have to be shown there’s a safety problem before allowing cities to put photo enforcement on state highways under a bill approved Monday by the Arizona House.

Cities will also have to show photo enforcement has improved safety to renew their state permits.

Eight cities and towns now use photo radar on stretches of state highways and Casa Grande and Sierra Vista are working with the Arizona Department of Transportation to add them.

A two-year state-run photo enforcement program ended in 2010 and the Legislature has failed repeatedly in recent years to ban its use statewide. Critics argue its use is just a way for cities to make money.

Cities and towns argue photo enforcement for speed and red light runners cut down on accidents.