Pennsylvania State Capitol
After passing the House Transportation Committee, then the House, then the Senate, then going back to the House, the automated speed enforcement bill we’ve been advocating for was not brought up for a final vote before the Legislature closed for summer recess.
So while the bill did not pass, it’s not dead. When the Legislature comes back in session in the Fall, a singular vote will send automated speed legislation to Governor Wolf’s desk.
To get into the weeds a bit, here’s what happened:
We have been advocating for a 5-year Pilot for automated speed enforcement on Roosevelt Boulevard.
Not only because Roosevelt Boulevard is Philadelphia’s deadliest road (making up about 13 percent of all pedestrian and motorist deaths in the city, every year), but because it would allow the city to study how automated enforcement affects traffic deaths and decide if automated speed enforcement should be used elsewhere.
Reducing speeds is a Vision Zero policy we support and doing this via automated enforcement reduces potential negative interactions between police and citizens.
The state Legislature needs to pass such a bill and the governor has to sign it just to allow Philadelphia to utilize this enforcement technology.
We’ve been advocating for such legislation in Harrisburg since 2016, when we traveled with Channabel Morris, and others, to In order for a bill to become law, the Senate and House need to pass the exact same bill, amendments and all.
The bill had passed the House and Senate separately throughout the spring, but had never passed the exact same legislation twice. There were small changes made here and there, as far as the fine for exceeding the speed limit on Roosevelt Boulevard, and other issues. Passing the bill required one more vote in the House, but was not put on the calendar by House Majority Leader Dave Reed.
And while the state Legislature goes on recess for the summer, we don’t. The Vision Zero Alliance plans to meet after July 4 to discuss how to advance this bill in the fall.
Thank you to everyone who has sent emails, made calls, and reached out to their legislators on social media, and advocated in many other ways.
The push for safer streets via automated enforcement is not over.