Senate Bill 375 allows law enforcement agencies in first-class cities, specifically Milwaukee, to implement speed safety camera systems (SSCS) and traffic control photographic systems (TCPS) to enforce speed limits and traffic signal compliance. The bill amends existing statutes to define the liability of vehicle owners for violations detected by these systems. Under the new provisions, vehicle owners can be subject to forfeitures for speed limit violations detected by an SSCS, provided the vehicle was traveling at least 15 miles per hour over the limit. Similarly, owners can be penalized for traffic signal violations captured by a TCPS. The bill also establishes administrative requirements for municipalities using these systems, including the need to inform motorists of their presence and to ensure that the systems are deployed at high-accident intersections.

Additionally, the bill creates new sections in the statutes, specifically 346.375 and 346.575, which outline the processes for issuing citations based on violations detected by the SSCS and TCPS. It specifies that forfeitures collected from these violations must be allocated for the costs of operating the systems and can only be used for traffic enforcement and safety programs thereafter. The bill also clarifies that liability under these new provisions does not result in the suspension of a person's operating privileges or the accumulation of demerit points on their driving record. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance traffic safety in Milwaukee through the use of automated enforcement systems.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 346.01(2), 346.01, 346.02(12), 346.02, 346.43(1)(b)1, 346.43