Red light cameras will continue to snap shots at intersections across Colorado. Gov. John Hickenlooper on Thursday vetoed a bill that would have banned their use across the state by the end of the year.

“The Legislature and the governor clearly disagree on this issue,” said Rep. Steve Lebsock, D-Thornton, the sponsor of House Bill 1231. “The governor did what he thought was right in vetoing the bill, and I feel strongly that we did what we thought was right in the Legislature by passing the bill.”

The Traffic Safety Coalition, which opposed the bill, celebrated news of the veto.

“We know firsthand red light running is an often deadly epidemic, and indisputable data shows traffic safety cameras reduce red light running, crashes and save lives,” said co-chairs Paul and Sue Oberhauser whose daughter was killed by a red light runner. “We thank and applaud Gov. Hickenlooper for his leadership in vetoing this dangerous bill and for standing with the families of red light running victims, mayors, law enforcement and traffic safety advocates in support of responsible driving laws and enforcement tools.”

This year’s veto comes as little surprise. Hickenlooper vetoed two traffic enforcement photo/radar bills last year. One would have outright banned use of red light and photo radar speed cameras. Another would have banned the devices unless local voters approved their use. Hickenlooper said at the time that he believed the cameras make roads safer when used properly, but he agreed they might be productively limited to high-traffic intersections and school and construction zones.

That’s the kind of proposal Lebsock brought with this year’s bill, but his bill was amended in the Senate to fully ban not only red light cameras but also photo radar cameras. The final reconciled version of the bill left out mention of photo radar and pushed the camera ban to the end of the year.

“Passing a bill is a collaborative process,” Lebsock said. “The Legislature passed this phased-in ban with bipartisan majorities in both chambers. It’s a popular proposal.

Lebsock said the governor didn’t personally engage with lawmakers as the bill moved through the Legislature – but he added it probably wouldn’t have made a difference.

“We voted to ban red light cameras,” he added, “because we agree with the people we represent that the cameras are an invasion of privacy and that jurisdictions can abuse their use to generate revenue. I think the people of Colorado would have liked to ban them, as Americans have done in 11 other states around the country.”

With his veto this year, Hickenlooper again outlined the kind of red light camera bill he could support.

“Last year… we requested the General Assembly to enact legislation that: ‘.. limits photo-radar and red light cameras to only the following locations: (l) school zones; (2) construction and roadway work zones; and (3) areas with disproportionately high traffic and pedestrian accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Secondly, legislation should require that fine revenue be used solely for traffic safety improvements and enforcement, rather than general operating funds or non-transportation purposes.’ House Bill 1231 implements no such reasonable limitations.”

Hickenlooper said the blanket statewide ban imposed by the bill “(denies) communities the right to decide for themselves based on their own traffic safety needs.”

The veto will be fuel for critics of the governor.

On his Facebook page, conservative Rep. Justin Everett, R-Littleton – often a rhetorical gunner at the Capitol – said he thinks Hickenlooper, former Mayor of Denver, is out of touch on the issue, that he’s placing the concerns of city administrators ahead of the will of the people.

“Just got notification from our ‘moderate’ (*sarcasm*) governor’s office that he did a rare veto. Of course it was one of the most bi-partisan/popular bills of the session and one of the issues I hear about from citizens the most – Banning Red Light Cameras. Apparently, the Gov still wants to be Mayor of Denver and doesn’t want (the city) to miss out on all that (red light camera) revenue…”

Sen. Kevin Grantham, R-Canon City, who many expect would be elected Senate president next year should the Republicans retain the majority in the chamber in November, told The Statesman he didn’t expect Hickenlooper to soften his views on the issue.

“I think a leopard can’t change his own spots,” he said.

The veto:

– john@coloradostatesman.com