Highways, Roads and Bridges

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the use of surveillance cameras will be regulated or monitored.

Surveillance Cameras on Federal Interstate Highways

This bill amends Tennessee's laws to allow surveillance cameras on federal interstate highways for investigating and preventing terrorism and state crimes other than traffic violations.

What This Bill Does

• Allows the use of surveillance cameras on federal interstate highways if they are operated only by a state entity and used to aid in the investigation and prevention of terrorism and state criminal offenses, except traffic violations.
• Permits counties and municipalities to purchase, install, operate, and maintain surveillance cameras on public roads and highways other than federal interstates for investigating and preventing terrorism and state crimes if they comply with certain conditions.

Who It Names or Affects

• State entities operating surveillance cameras on federal interstate highways
• Local law enforcement agencies using cameras on public roads and highways

Terms To Know

Surveillance Cameras

Cameras used to observe and record activities for security or monitoring purposes.

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Cameras

Cameras that are part of a system designed to improve transportation efficiency, safety, and reliability.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the use of surveillance cameras will be regulated or monitored.
• It is unclear what specific types of state criminal offenses other than traffic violations would qualify for camera usage under this act.

Official Summary Text

SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ON FEDERAL INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS

Present law generally prohibits s
urveillance cameras on federal interstate highways
,
except for
(i)
SmartWay cameras;
(ii) other
intelligent transportation sy
stem cameras; and (
iii
)
s
urveillance cameras used to enforce or monitor traffic violations within work zones designated by the department of transportation when employees of the department or construction workers are present
if
the cameras are operated onl
y by a state entity.
This bill also allows s
urveillance cameras
under (iii) above if such cameras are used to a
id in the investigation and prevention of terrorism and state criminal offenses other than traffic violations.

COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, SUR
VEILLANCE CAMERAS ON ROADS

This bill authorizes
a county or municipality
to
purchase, install, operate, and maintain surveillance cameras on any public road or highway, other than a federal interstate highway, for the purpose of aiding in the investigati
on and prevention of terrorism and state criminal offenses
if (i) s
uch use is consistent with the continued use, operations, maintenance, and safety of the highway facility and does not interfere with the free and safe flow of traffic;
(ii) t
he cameras are
only operated by local law enforcement agencies;
(iii) t
he cameras
are not
used to enforce or monitor state or local traffic violations or issue citations for such violations; and
(iv) if
the cameras are used on state roads,

the local law enforcement agen
cy has obtained approval from the department of transportation prior to the installation and operation of the cameras
,
and the cameras and their use
comply with

the present law requirements.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

HOUSE BILL 294
By Clemmons

HB0294
001770
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section
55-8-198, relative to surveillance cameras.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-8-198(f)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting instead:
(1) Surveillance cameras are not permitted on federal interstate highways,
except for:
(A) SmartWay cameras;
(B) Other intelligent transportation system cameras; and
(C) Surveillance cameras operated only by a state entity and used to:
(i) Enforce or monitor traffic violations within work zones
designated by the department of transportation when employees of the
department or construction workers are present; or
(ii) Aid in the investigation and prevention of terrorism and state
criminal offenses other than traffic violations.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-8-198, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(o)
(1) As used in this subsection (o), "traffic violation" means a violation of
this chapter or chapter 9 of this title or parts 1-4 of chapter 10, or a violation of a
municipal ordinance regulating traffic, including those that regulate parking.
(2) Notwithstanding another law, a county or municipality may purchase,
install, operate, and maintain surveillance cameras on any public road or

- 2 - 001770

highway, other than a federal interstate highway, for the purpose of aiding in the
investigation and prevention of terrorism and state criminal offenses; provided,
that:
(A) Such use is consistent with the continued use, operations,
maintenance, and safety of the highway facility and does not interfere
with the free and safe flow of traffic;
(B) The cameras are only operated by local law enforcement
agencies;
(C) The cameras must not be used to enforce or monitor state or
local traffic violations or issue citations for such violations; and
(D) If the cameras are used on state roads, the local law
enforcement agency has obtained approval from the department of
transportation in the manner provided in subdivision (f)(3) prior to the
installation and operation of the cameras, and the cameras and their use
are subject to subdivisions (f)(4)-(6).
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.