Is a red-light camera coming soon to an intersection near you?

It’s not every day on Beacon Hill you see progressive Democrats teaming up with Republicans to oppose a piece of legislation.

But that’s exactly what happened when a bill calling for automated enforcement of traffic violations made its way to the Senate floor, where it was ultimately shelved without a final up or down vote, but not before a lengthy debate.

Now, proponents of the bill appear to have relented, backing away from initial proposals that would have allowed each community in the state to install cameras on traffic lights at certain intersections, instead now proposing a pilot program capped at 10 communities.

The key concerns the bill faced — and almost certainly will continue to face — surround government surveillance and data collection. While the cameras would only capture the backs of vehicles, doling out a $25 fee to the registered owner and not the driver, opponents are concerned about what could appear to be government surveillance gone too far.

Clearly, legislators are hoping they can win enough support with the limited pilot program idea that automated enforcement can become a reality this session after Gov. Charlie Baker tried and failed to get it off the ground in 2021. If they are successful, Massachusetts would join 23 states and Washington, D.C., in establishing a red-light camera program or pilot program.

“Making it as a pilot was just one more concession to those concerns in the hopes of getting something going,” said Sen. Will Brownsberger, who sponsored the initial legislation and the current bill. He added that he believed the concerns raised have merit. 

“This is a way to address unsafe driving that is going to be non-discriminatory, cost-effective, [and] can be done in a reasonable way,” Brownsberger, a Belmont Democrat, said.

But, Sen. Jamie Eldridge, one of the Democrats who sided with Republicans when the bill first made it to the floor, isn’t so sure.

While Eldridge said he was appreciative the new bill was set out as a pilot program, concerns remained about civil liberties protections.

“That data … big picture could create a form of government surveillance and impact the sense of freedom,” he said.

That said, Eldridge said he recognized the value of an automated enforcement program, particularly because of the growing sense that drivers, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, are increasingly aggressive and irresponsible.

Eldridge, a member of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security that will determine the fate of Brownsberger’s bill, signaled support for the pilot program idea. But, Eldridge said he would seek input from civil liberties groups before making a final decision.

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