HANNIBAL, MO. -- --Update May 6, 2010---

Legislation is moving through the Missouri General Assembly to ban red light cameras in the Show-Me-state. Last week, the Senate approved a statewide ban on those cameras as an amendment to a larger transportation bill.

Police throughout the state, including Hannibal, say this ban would remove an important tool used to keep the streets safe.

We talked with Senator Wes Shoemyer, who voted for the transportation bill. He says he's not against all red light cameras. In fact he supports cameras that clearly identify the driver in the violation and provide for safer intersections. He says some cameras in the state don't do that.

But he says although the amendment to the bill banning red light cameras probably won't pass, he says this legislation will begin discussions on *how* to regulate red light cameras.

---Original Story aired Tuesday, May 4, 2010--

Now there's a plan to ban red light cameras in Missouri and not everyone is happy about it. 

Last week, the Missouri Senate approved a statewide ban on those cameras as an amendment to a larger transportation bill. Hannibal currently uses two red light cameras at two major intersections in the city. Last week, the Missouri Senate approved a statewide ban on those cameras as an amendment to a larger transportation bill.

Red light cameras work in Hannibal by taking a photograph of the vehicle and the driver committing the violation. Then at the police department, a police officer watches the video of the offense, and decides if it's a blatant violation. If so, the motorist will get notice in the mail. At that point, you can fight the violation in court...and log on to the Internet and watch the evidence yourself via streaming video.

For the past three years, Hannibal police have viewed hundreds of red light runs on their own version of Candid Camera.

So the prospect of losing these eyes in the skies worries Captain Jim Hark.

Captain Hark said, "We feel the elimination of red light cameras would take away an effective tool to make the roads safer."

And he says he has the statistics prove it.

In fact, Captain Hark says in the past three years that the red light cameras have been operational, accidents caused by drivers running red lights have gone down by more than 80 percent. And actual drivers running red lights in the city have gone down by more than 30 percent.

The city also gets about 300 thousand dollars a year in tickets from the red light violations. But that's not all. Hark says these cameras also help save money by enforcing traffic laws when manpower is limited.

Hark said, "To have a police officer at those intersections to monitor traffic flow wouldn't be possible. Now officers can concentrate on other crime and crime prevention."

Currently, Missouri has no laws governing the set-up of red light cameras. Captain Hark says his department supports lawmakers creating some guidelines for the enforcement tools, but not eliminating them completely. In fact, he says the city of Hannibal set up its cameras to offer the same due process you would get in a regular traffic stop, but with an abundance of evidence to aid both sides in proving their case.

Hark says these high tech cameras offer consequences for breaking the law. Until the law changes, you probably won't want to be captured doing this on tape.

Senators in Jefferson City approved the amendment by a 23-8 vote, with local Senator Wes Shoemyer from Shelby County voting for it.     Now the measure goes to the House.

Many leaders are skeptical that the red light camera ban will stay in the bill.