Committee raises fund ceiling for automated speed-enforcement program and advances bill

The House Committee on Transportation voted to advance SB 3157 on March 19 with amendments that raise the automated speed-enforcement special-fund ceiling and add procurement and reissuance requirements.

Under the committee amendment, the threshold of unexpended revenues that would lapse to the general fund was increased from $12,000,000 to $25,000,000. The chair said the change was intended to avoid unneeded lapses while ensuring excess funds flow to the general fund if they accumulate above the higher ceiling.

A Department of Transportation official told the committee the agency does not anticipate any funds lapsing to the general fund in normal operation. "We do not envision any funds would be lapsed," the DOT representative said when asked about the program
s finances. The chair noted, however, that the bill as drafted would require lapsing any excess back to the general fund and that the committee had heard concerns from the Senate when the measure was considered there.

A committee member suggested that if excess funds were likely, they should be appropriated to transportation priorities such as Safe Routes to School rather than the general fund; the chair said legal constraints limit direct transfers between special funds without passing through the general fund, but that the topic merits future discussion.

The committee passed SB 3157 SD1 with amendments including the higher ceiling and language directing reprocurement of operations every five years.

Next steps: the committee report will reflect the adopted ceiling and procurement language before the bill proceeds.