The Legislature is considering a bill to allow cameras at stop lights and the issuance of tickets against the car's owner, all civil and not criminal:

http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/editorial_2.html

Do you think that is a good idea?

Long overdue, and I agree that there should be no "per ticket" revenue to anyone but the ticketing authority. It would be hard to make sure that the machines are targeted on accident intersections, though. Fact is, we have multiple dangerous intersections around here where it is almost impossbile to set up red-light enforcement because there is no where to park a patrol car.

TDCAA is tracking House Bill 281 (by Rep. Paul Moreno, D-El Paso) on our "Bills to Watch" list, which you can find on the Legislative Page.

The ultimate issue is should traffic be decriminalized? In a great number of States it is. Revenue goes up, personal responsibility and personal consequences (ie: driving record, arrest,larger fines) go away. Civil enforcment is much easier than criminal (no jury trials, no presumption, no ID of offender), but does it make the State a better or safer place to live. Also, beware the next offense most of these folks would like to "make civil" or decrimninalize are drug laws.
Of course that is just my opinion I could be wrong.
Clay