Ohio Legislator Seeks Voter Approval for Traffic Cameras

Senator Tom Patton introduces bill to require cities to get voter approval before installing speed enforcement cameras

Published on Jan. 30, 2026

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An Ohio state senator has introduced a bill that would require cities and villages to get voter approval before installing traffic enforcement cameras that detect speeding violations. Senator Tom Patton, a Republican from Strongsville, calls the use of such cameras a "quick cash grab" and "invasive", and wants to let the people decide if they want the cameras in their communities.

Why it matters

This bill is the latest effort by Patton to limit the use of traffic cameras in Ohio, which he argues do not improve public safety and are primarily used to generate revenue for local governments. The bill faces opposition from the Ohio Municipal League and could conflict with previous state Supreme Court rulings upholding the use of traffic cameras by local governments.

The details

Patton's Senate Bill 340 would require a city or village council to get voter approval in an election before installing traffic enforcement cameras. The cameras, used by 15 communities in Ohio, use radio waves to detect speeding vehicles and automatically issue fines to the vehicle's registered owner. Patton argues the cameras do not provide immediate deterrence like a police officer pulling someone over, and that a high percentage of the fines go to out-of-state third-party vendors.

  • Patton has sponsored legislation to limit traffic cameras since 2016.
  • In 2019, then-state Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus helped pass a law that reduced local government funding for cities using the cameras.
  • The Ohio Supreme Court upheld that law in 2022.

The players

Tom Patton

A Republican state senator from Strongsville, Ohio who has introduced a bill to require voter approval for traffic enforcement cameras.

Reggie Stoltzfus

A former Republican state representative from Stark County who helped pass legislation in 2019 to limit the use of traffic cameras in Ohio.

Trevor Elkins

The mayor of Newburgh Heights, Ohio, a village that generates over $4 million per year in revenue from its traffic enforcement cameras.

Ohio Municipal League

An organization that represents cities and villages in Ohio and opposes efforts to limit the use of traffic enforcement cameras.

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What they’re saying

“Let's let the people vote. The people of Parma, Strongsville and Canton. If they want speed cameras, shouldn't they be able to vote on it?”

— Tom Patton, State Senator (beaconjournal.com)

“This isn't a tax put on everybody. This is put on people caught breaking the law. Yes. The revenue from irresponsible drivers funds (services) for Newburgh Heights and I'm not going to apologize for that.”

— Trevor Elkins, Mayor of Newburgh Heights (beaconjournal.com)

“Public safety is not improved one iota by traffic cameras.”

— Tom Patton, State Senator (beaconjournal.com)

What’s next

The bill's prospects of becoming law in the current session of the Ohio General Assembly are unclear, as it faces opposition from the Ohio Municipal League and could conflict with previous state Supreme Court rulings.

The takeaway

This debate over traffic enforcement cameras highlights the ongoing tension between local governments seeking revenue and residents' concerns about privacy and due process. The outcome could set an important precedent for how traffic cameras are regulated in Ohio going forward.