ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Corporation Counsel with a Request for the Following:
A. ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending CHAPTER 28 of the CODE of the City of Peoria, Regarding AUTOMATED TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS; and
B. APPROVE and Authorize the City Manager to Execute an INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT Between the City of Peoria and PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 150, for Operation of the Automated Traffic Violation System.
Body
BACKGROUND:
Peoria Public Schools District 150 ("School District") has noticed an increasingly alarming trend of motorists unlawfully approaching and overtaking its school buses in violation of 625 ILCS 5/11-1414. The illegal passing of school buses endangers the health and safety of students and others. Therefore, the Illinois legislature has authorized school districts and local governments to cooperate on the detection and prosecution of illegal passing of school buses. 625 ILCS 5/11-208.9(r) requires the School District and the City of Peoria to enter into an intergovernmental agreement before an automated traffic violation system may be utilized. The system is comprised of cameras and sensors installed on school buses that detect and photograph the license plates of offending vehicles.
The proposed ordinance creates a process for the handling of violations detected by the system, which is also required by 625 ILCS 5/11-208.9. Photographs taken by the system must be reviewed by a technician who will confirm whether a violation occurred. If a violation is depicted, the registered owner of the vehicle will be assessed a penalty of $300.00 for a first offense and $1,000.00 for a second or subsequent offense. Registered owners may dispute the validity of citations by requesting an administrative hearing before an impartial hearing officer. The automated traffic violation system would be limited to the detection of motorists illegally passing school buses. Citations issued under the system are civil, not crim...
Click here for full text