Traffic tickets

House lawmakers rejected a bill Wednesday that would allow municipalities to install automated red-light cameras or speed traps for the purposes of ticketing drivers.

Under current law, automated devices meant to catch traffic violations are allowed only in limited circumstances or if a police officer is on the scene to conduct a traffic stop. House Bill 1858, by Rep. Jay Richardson, D-Fort Smith, would remove many of those provisions and allow local authorities to issue tickets strictly off information captured on automated traffic cameras.

The bill faced opposition from some lawmakers, who said companies charged with collecting tickets in other jurisdictions were harassing drivers caught by traffic cameras.

“I don’t see this as harassment, I see this as a safety deal,” Richardson said.