HB 275

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1Traffic Safety Amendments
  2026 GENERAL SESSION
  STATE OF UTAH
  Chief Sponsor: Jake Fitisemanu
  Senate Sponsor:
2
3   LONG TITLE
4   General Description:
5This bill establishes a red light camera pilot program.
6   Highlighted Provisions:
7This bill:
8▸ defines terms;
9▸ creates a red light camera pilot program;
10▸ establishes rules, restrictions, and guidelines for the pilot program;
11▸ sets a repeal date for the pilot program; and
12▸ requires the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Safety to report
13   regarding the pilot program.
14   Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15None
16   Other Special Clauses:
17None
18   Utah Code Sections Affected:
19   AMENDS:
2063I-1-241, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 277
21   ENACTS:
2241-6a-312, Utah Code Annotated 1953
23
  H.B. 275
24   Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25Section 1. Section 41-6a-312 is enacted to read:
2641-6a-312 . Red light camera pilot program.
27   (1) As used in this section:
28(a) "Applicable law enforcement agency" means the law enforcement agency with
29jurisdiction over a high-risk intersection.
30(b) "Department of Transportation" means the Department of Transportation created in
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31Section 72-1-201.
32      (c) "High-risk intersection" means an intersection designated as a high-risk intersection
33by the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the applicable law
34enforcement agency, based on:
35(i) crash data;
36(ii) traffic data; and
37(iii) injury and fatality data.
38      (d) "Red light camera" means a camera that is programmed to detect and photograph a
39vehicle that crosses an intersection when prohibited by a steady circular red light or a
40red arrow light on a traffic-control signal.
41      (e) "Red light camera pilot program" means the pilot program established in Subsection
42(2)(a).
43  (2)(a) The Department of Transportation shall establish a red light camera pilot program
44      to begin no later than January 1, 2027, and end no later than April 30, 2028.
45      (b) The pilot program shall include up to 10 high-risk intersections selected under
46Subsection (3).
47      (c) For each high-risk intersection the program shall include:
48(i) an initial data collection phase of at least 60 days at each high-risk intersection to
49establish a baseline of data; and
50(ii) a public education phase of at least 120 days including:
51(A) notifying the public of the installation of a red light camera; and
52(B) issuing a warning to the registered owner of a vehicle identified by a red light
53camera as violating Subsection 41-6a-305(4).
54  (3) The Department of Transportation shall:
55      (a) identify up to 10 high-risk intersections for inclusion in the pilot program;
56      (b) post a sign described in Subsection (7);
57      (c) in accordance with Subsection (4), contract with a vendor to obtain red light cameras
58sufficient to implement the red light pilot program;
59      (d) manage the use and maintenance of a red light camera and red light camera notice
60sign;
61      (e) collect and send, or ensure the red light camera vendor collects and sends, necessary
62data captured by a red light camera to the applicable law enforcement agency for the
63applicable law enforcement agency to send the warning described in Subsection (8);
64and
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65(f) coordinate with an applicable law enforcement agency for implementation of the
66pilot program, including the placement location of a red light camera.
67   (4)(a) The Department of Transportation shall contract to purchase or lease a red light
68camera for use by the department or a local highway authority.
69(b) The Department of Transportation shall use existing Department of Transportation
70funds to purchase, lease, or rent a red light camera for the pilot program.
71(c) The Department of Transportation may not enter into a contract with a vendor if the
72contract requires issuance of a citation by an applicable law enforcement agency for
73an alleged violation.
74   (5)(a) The Department of Transportation may not collect evidence of, or issue a warning
75for, an alleged red light camera violation.
76(b) Only an applicable law enforcement agency may collect evidence of, or issue a
77warning for, an alleged red light camera violation.
78   (6) An applicable law enforcement agency shall:
79(a) consult with the Department of Transportation for the Department of Transportation
80to contract to purchase or lease a red light camera from a vendor;
81(b) enter into an interlocal agreement with the Department of Transportation or vendor
82to receive the captured data described in Subsection (8)(a);
83(c) identify the owner of a vehicle based on the photograph of the vehicle's license plate;
84and
85(d) send the owner of the vehicle described in Subsection (8)(a) the warning described in
86Subsection (8).
87   (7) An applicable law enforcement agency may not use a red light camera in a high-risk
88intersection unless:
89(a) a prominent sign is posted on the highway providing notice to a motorist, as the
90motorist approaches the high-risk intersection, that a red light camera is in use at the
91intersection; and
92(b) a warning issued under Subsection (8)(b) is accompanied by the photograph
93produced by the red light camera.
94   (8)(a) When an applicable law enforcement agency is notified that a red light camera has
95captured evidence of an individual violating Subsection 41-6a-305(4) during the
96public education phase described in Subsection (2)(c), the applicable law
97enforcement agency shall:
98(i) for a vehicle registered in this state, issue notice to the registered owner by mail or
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99by personal service within 30 days after the day of the alleged violation; or
100(ii) for a vehicle registered in another state, issue notice to the registered owner by
101mail or personal service within 60 days after the date of the alleged violation.
102      (b) A notice issued by an applicable law enforcement agency as described in Subsection
103(8)(a) shall:
104(i) provide information and evidence of the alleged violation, including the
105photograph of the vehicle's license plate; and
106(ii) provide a warning to the owner of the vehicle involved in the alleged violation.
107      (c) A warning issued under Subsection (8)(b) may not impose a civil or criminal penalty.
108  (9)(a) An applicable law enforcement agency may not purchase, lease, install, or
109      maintain a red light camera.
110      (b) Only the Department of Transportation may:
111(i) purchase, lease, install, or maintain a red light camera; or
112(ii) contract with a vendor to install or maintain a red light camera.
113  (10)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (7)(b), data or evidence captured by a red light
114      camera may not be used as evidence in a criminal or civil proceeding or investigation.
115      (b) A law enforcement agency may access and use data or evidence captured by a red
116light camera used as part of the red light camera pilot program pursuant to a warrant
117issued under the Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure or an equivalent federal warrant
118for a purpose other than warning a vehicle owner of a violation of Subsection
11941-6a-305(4).
120      (c) A law enforcement agency may only use a red light camera:
121(i) in accordance with an interlocal agreement with the Department of Transportation
122as described in this section; and
123(ii) for a purpose described in this section.
124  (11) A moving traffic violation warning described in Subsection (8)(b) issued using
125      information gathered by a red light camera is not a reportable violation as defined under
126      Section 53-3-102, and the Driver License Division may not assess points under Section
127      53-3-221 against the driving record of an individual for the violation.
128  (12) The Department of Transportation and the department shall make the following
129      information available for public inspection on the websites of the Department of
130      Transportation or the department:
131      (a) the terms of any vendor contract regarding the purchase, lease, rental, or use of a red
132light camera;
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133(b) the amount paid to the vendor providing a red light camera unit; and
134(c) the number of violation warnings issued by the use of a red light camera.
135   (13) On or before October 1, 2028, the Department of Transportation and the department
136shall provide a report to the Transportation Interim Committee that summarizes:
137(a) the effectiveness of red light camera enforcement at each high-risk intersection
138described in Subsection (2);
139(b) if available, the crash rates before and after implementation; and
140(c) other relevant data.
141   (14) Nothing in this section prohibits the Department of Transportation or the department
142from using information for highway safety research that is gathered by a red light
143camera during the red light camera pilot program.
144Section 2. Section 63I-1-241 is amended to read:
14563I-1-241 . Repeal dates: Title 41.
146   (1) Subsection 41-1a-1201(8), regarding the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Fund, is repealed
147July 1, 2029.
148   (2) Subsection 41-6a-102(34), regarding lane filtering, is repealed July 1, 2027.
149   (3) Section 41-6a-312, Red light camera pilot program, is repealed July 1, 2029.
150   [(3)] (4) Subsection 41-6a-704(6), regarding lane filtering, is repealed July 1, 2027.
151   [(4)] (5) Subsection 41-6a-710(1)(c), regarding lane filtering, is repealed July 1, 2027.
152   [(5)] (6) Subsection 41-6a-1406(7)(b)(iii), regarding the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Fund,
153is repealed July 1, 2029.
154   [(6)] (7) Subsection 41-22-2(1), regarding an advisory council addressing off-highway
155vehicle issues, is repealed July 1, 2027.
156   [(7)] (8) Subsection 41-22-10(1), regarding an advisory council addressing off-highway
157vehicle issues, is repealed July 1, 2027.
158   [(8)] (9) Subsection 41-22-8(3)(b), regarding the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Fund, is
159repealed July 1, 2029.
160Section 3. Effective Date.
161   This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.
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