Minnesota Democrats are trying to pass a bill that would legalize the use of more government surveillance equipment, in this case, red light traffic cameras. If caught on these cameras, violators would be fined at least $40 despite not being able to face their accuser of a crime.
The bill, SF 2026, authored by State Senator Zaynab Mohammed, is making progress in the Democrat controlled Minnesota Senate. So far, the bill has been passed out of the Judiciary and Transportation Committees.
If passed, SF 2026 would legalize the use of red light traffic cameras for local governments and would establish a “pilot program” to commence by summer of 2025.
The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled against the use of red light traffic cameras in the state in 2007 after the ACLU sued the city of Minneapolis for their program on the basis of privacy rights. Since that ruling, traffic cameras have not been legal in the state.
