ST. LOUIS–On the last day of the 2023-2024 legislative session Monday, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen passed two pieces of legislation tied to bringing traffic cameras back to the city, and another measure on surveillance technology oversight. A spokesperson for Mayor Tishaura Jones confirmed all three bills will become law.

Lawmakers introduced legislation to authorize the return of automated traffic cameras last fall, along with a companion measure that ensures revenue generated from tickets won’t go toward the city’s general revenues but instead would pay for the costs of enforcement, driver education efforts and traffic safety infrastructure on non-arterial roads.

The city’s previous red-light camera program was ruled unconstitutional because it put the burden on the driver to prove they weren’t behind the wheel at the time of the offense. 

Under Board Bill 105 the city would use facial recognition, databases and other technology to ensure the identity of the driver before a summons gets issued. 

But the board’s deliberations on a third measure, Board Bill 185, which puts guardrails on the use of surveillance technology in the city, led to opposition from police and the Jones administration, which cited a concern that it could obstruct police investigations.

In February, Jones signed an executive order which drew pushback from Aldermen who said it didn’t add oversight and merely stated what is already required under state and federal law.

A spokesperson for Jones said the mayor would sign the bill reauthorizing the traffic camera enforcement program, the second bill governing the revenue from it, and would allow the surveillance oversight bill to become law without her signature.

“I’m happy to see the Board of Aldermen was able to eventually codify many of the same oversight measures that went into effect when I signed Executive Order 78, which provides oversight for police use of technology to increase public safety,” Jones said in a statement.

Also Monday, the Board gave final passage to a bill that will lead to the first city location where infants up to 45 days old could be surrendered to the state without fear of prosecution.

Under Missouri’s Safe Places for Newborns Act, authorities are allowed to set up incubators where children can be surrendered anonymously. Earlier this year, a Mehlville Fire Protection District station successfully received an infant.

Some members of the Board voiced concerns that the program overlooks the need for access to services for the parent or parents who might surrender the child and also questioned the available legal recourse for another parent or family member to take custody of the child rather than being turned over to the state.

If signed by Mayor Jones, Fire Station 17, located near Page and MLK would be the first designated site in the city, with the potential of exploring other fire and police facilities.