With the Senate's plan in place, the House Environmental Matters Committee is poised to forward its plan to delegates. Del. Maggie McIntosh, a Baltimore Democrat and the committee chairman, said she expected an even more expansive initiative, backed by O'Malley, that would include residential neighborhoods.
McIntosh said cameras can play an important role "as you cut local funding for core services." She said cameras are "a way to fund public safety."
O'Malley spokesman Rick Abbruzzese called the Senate bill "a good plan."
"The governor feels that is a good first step," Abbruzzese said.
SENATE PLAN
How it works: Cameras could be placed within a half-mile of any school or in any highway work zone where the limit is 45 mph or higher. Motorists going at least 12 miles per hour over the posted limit could be fined.
The penalties: A $40 citation would be mailed to the vehicle's registered owner, regardless of who is driving. The offender would not receive any MVA "points" on his or her license, so insurance premiums could not increase. Motorists could protest the citations in court.
The revenue: Money from the citations would go first to the local governments operating the camera program. After paying operating costs, the local government would retain up to 10 percent of the total revenue to reinvest in pedestrian and public safety programs. The rest of the money would go to the state general fund.
What happens next: The Senate is set to give final approval to its plan Wednesday. A House committee is expected to forward its more expansive plan, and if that chamber approves, lawmakers would have to work out the differences before the session ends in two weeks.
