Discussions continue at the Iowa Legislature regarding a bill that would ban the use of traffic cameras, though time is running out for the conversation to make it much farther.

Senate File 343 was passed out of the Senate last week, and it is currently being discussed in a House subcommittee. However, it would need to be passed out of the committee by tomorrow in order to make it through the second funnel deadline. A similar bill proposed in the House which would regulate but not ban traffic cameras doesn’t appear to have the momentum to make it through the funnel.

Senator Jake Chapman, (R) District 10, has floor managed SF343, and he promises the House that in spite of the clear intentions of the traffic camera ban, he’s willing to find a compromise with the other chamber. “I’ve been asked, ‘Am I willing to negotiate with the House?’ And I think it would be irresponsible of me to say that we would not negotiate with the House. We should always be willing to have those conversations. The Senate has made it clear, we want to see a full repeal of the traffic cameras, but if there’s an opportunity to find middle ground on this issue, I’m going to continue to work for that. But whether or not we would have the votes to do something like that, that’s yet to be seen.”

To learn more about the current general assembly, listen to our legislative update on the Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program each Monday.