VirginiaSB2192026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Photo speed monitoring devices; placement and operations.

Sponsored By: Jerrauld C. "Jay" Jones (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Photo speed monitoring devices; placement and operation; summons. Requires a second summons for a vehicle speed violation captured by a photo speed monitoring device to be mailed if a summoned person fails to appear on the date of return set out in the first summons mailed. If the summoned person fails to appear after the second summons, the bill requires the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles to refuse to issue or renew the vehicle registration certificate or the license plate issued for such vehicle until the required civil penalties and any administrative fees have been paid and any applicable reinstatement processes required by the Department of Motor Vehicles have been completed. The bill directs the Supreme Court of Virginia to develop a summons for vehicle speed violations captured by photo speed monitoring devices and requires summonses issued for such vehicle speed violations to be such summons. The bill makes various changes to the requirements for the use of photo speed monitoring devices, including the use of funds from collected civil penalties, signage, data retention and storage, photo speed monitoring device calibration, making certain information available to the public, requirements for private vendors, and reporting. The bill establishes civil penalties for violations of requirements and provides that, for any summons issued, failure to comply with the requirements for the operation of photo speed monitoring devices renders such summons invalid and requires courts to dismiss such summons. The bill provides that any person against whom an enforcement action is carried out by a locality or law-enforcement agency, pursuant to the authority granted for the use of photo speed monitoring devices, where the enforcement action was based upon a willful disregard for applicable law, shall be entitled to an award of compensatory damages and to an order remanding the matter to the locality with a direction to carry out any further enforcement in a manner consistent with the law and may be entitled to reasonable attorney fees and court costs. The bill also provides that if a locality fails to comply with such an order, the court may order that the locality shall be ineligible to receive any funds collected from enforcement using photo speed monitoring devices, in excess of those used for its photo speed monitoring device program, and that the court shall order that any such excess funds be deposited in the Virginia Highway Safety Improvement Program until the locality comes into compliance with such order. The bill also limits the use of photo speed monitoring devices in highway work zones to when workers are present, as defined in the bill, and provides that a certificate sworn to or affirmed by a law-enforcement officer or a retired sworn law-enforcement officer is not prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein for a photo speed monitoring device placed in a highway work zone unless the operator of the photo speed monitoring device provides a sworn certification verifying that workers were present at the time of the vehicle speed violation. The bill contains delayed effective dates for certain provisions.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Privacy limits on speed camera photos

Your camera photos and data can be used only to enforce speeding. They must be kept private, not sold, and not made public. Images tied to a violation must be erased no later than 60 days after capture unless a summons was issued; then they can be kept until payment or final case outcome. Agencies and vendors must keep records, certify each year, allow audits, and face a $1,000 civil penalty for each unauthorized disclosure.

Where speed camera fine money goes

Civil penalties from tickets issued by local officers go to that locality to run its camera program; extra money goes into a local traffic‑safety fund, with priority for work zones, high‑risk intersections, and school crossings. Starting July 1, 2026, penalties from tickets issued by State Police go into a State Police fund to cover agreed compensation and program costs; any excess goes to the Commonwealth Transportation Board for the Virginia Highway Safety Improvement Program. Projects a locality started before July 1, 2026 keep their funding. If a court finds a locality ignored a remedial order, the court can block it from getting excess funds and send that money to the Virginia Highway Safety Improvement Program until it complies.

Speed cameras and $100 fines in safety zones

The law lets police use photo speed cameras in school crossing zones, in highway work zones only when workers are present, and at high‑risk intersections tied to a traffic death since January 1, 2014. If a device shows you are 10 mph or more over the limit, you can be fined up to $100. Beginning July 1, 2026, any new camera mails warnings only for its first 30 days (no fines from those mailed warnings), though officers can still issue in‑person tickets. Beginning July 1, 2027, at least two clear signs, including one speed display sign, must be within 1,000 feet in every direction of a monitored site.

How camera tickets work and your rights

When a ticket is mailed, the law presumes the owner, lessee, or renter was the driver unless you rebut by mailing an affidavit naming the actual driver, testifying in court, or showing a certified stolen‑vehicle report. Mailed summonses must explain how to rebut and contest, and you get at least 30 days from mailing to inspect the images, speed data, and calibration proof; if no summons is executed within 30 days of the violation, all information must be deleted within 60 days of the violation. A camera summons is invalid and must be dismissed if the issuer did not follow the statute, and starting January 1, 2027, all summonses must use the Supreme Court of Virginia’s standard form. A sworn certificate from device images is initial proof, but only if school‑zone signs were in place or blinking, and for work zones only if there is a sworn statement that workers were present. If a locality enforced your case with willful disregard for the law, you can recover up to the civil penalty amount, seek attorney fees, and get the case sent back; courts may also redirect excess fine money until the locality complies.

Rules and penalties for camera vendors

Agencies may hire private vendors for camera equipment and services, but only officers or retired officers can sign the sworn certificates. Vendor pay must be for the value of goods and services, not per ticket; if a vendor mails summonses, it may add only postage and a convenience fee up to 5% of the civil penalty. If asked, the vendor must provide device‑calibration proof for the time of the alleged violation within 10 days; failure triggers a $1,000 civil penalty paid to the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jerrauld C. "Jay" Jones

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 217 • No: 61

Senate vote 3/12/2026

House substitute agreed to by Senate

Yes: 24 • No: 16

House vote 3/11/2026

Passed House with substitute

Yes: 66 • No: 33

House vote 3/5/2026

Reported from Transportation with substitute

Yes: 18 • No: 3

House vote 3/3/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

Yes: 8 • No: 2

Senate vote 2/13/2026

Read third time and passed Senate

Yes: 37 • No: 2

Senate vote 2/12/2026

Transportation Substitute agreed to

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/11/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/11/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/10/2026

Reported from Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 9 • No: 5 • Other: 1

Senate vote 1/22/2026

Reported from Transportation with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 15 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0969)

    4/13/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 969 (Effective - see bill)

    4/13/2026Governor
  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB219)

    4/2/2026Senate
  4. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/31/2026Governor
  5. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

    3/31/2026Senate
  6. Signed by Speaker

    3/31/2026House
  7. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB219ER)

    3/30/2026Senate
  8. Enrolled

    3/30/2026Senate
  9. Signed by President

    3/30/2026Senate
  10. House substitute agreed to by Senate (24-Y 16-N 0-A)

    3/12/2026Senate
  11. Passed House with substitute (66-Y 33-N 0-A)

    3/11/2026House
  12. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    3/11/2026House
  13. committee substitute agreed to

    3/11/2026House
  14. Read third time

    3/11/2026House
  15. Passed by for the day

    3/10/2026House
  16. Read second time

    3/9/2026House
  17. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB219)

    3/9/2026Senate
  18. Committee substitute printed 26109093D-H1

    3/5/2026House
  19. Reported from Transportation with substitute (18-Y 3-N)

    3/5/2026House
  20. House subcommittee offered

    3/3/2026House
  21. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 2-N)

    3/3/2026House
  22. Assigned HTRAN sub: Innovations (Ad Hoc)

    2/20/2026House
  23. Referred to Committee on Transportation

    2/18/2026House
  24. Read first time

    2/18/2026House
  25. Placed on Calendar

    2/18/2026House

Bill Text

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