ACLU of Nevada Warns of Additional Traffic Camera Legislation Still Moving Forward
LAS VEGAS – Senate Bill 415, which would have allowed for the installation of automated traffic enforcement cameras throughout Nevada and was advocated for by LVMPD and Clark County, is dead. The bill did not advance out of committee before Friday’s committee deadline, effectively ending this proposal during this legislative session. ACLU of Nevada vigorously opposed the bill, citing serious constitutional concerns alongside data privacy and predatory fee collection issues. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization continues to warn of the harms of allowing automated traffic enforcement in Nevada, including in other bills like Assembly Bill 402, which did advance and would allow for automated traffic enforcement in construction zones. ACLU of Nevada opposes this bill based on similar concerns.
ACLU of Nevada executive director Athar Haseebullah said:
“This bill was bad policy from the start. The deployment of red-light cameras is often framed as a matter of public safety, but in reality, most civil liberties abuses happen under the guise of public safety. Automated traffic enforcement systems, which raise significant constitutional concerns, are problematic tools that are used to generate revenue for the government on the backs of ordinary Nevadans, and other communities have paid out tens of millions of dollars in settlements based on faulty systems. From a practical perspective, the Legislature couldn’t exercise oversight of the data collected through these programs because it is not privy to every surveillance tool law enforcement has in its possession and how that data is used. We commend the Nevada Senate for not advancing this bill and encourage the legislature to be mindful of the harms of automated traffic enforcement systems.”
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ABOUT THE ACLU OF NEVADA
The ACLU of Nevada is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to the defense and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights for all people in Nevada since 1966.
