by Brian Costin

In February, Gov. Quinn signed into law a bill allowing the City of Chicago to introduce automated speed enforcement systems (aka speed cameras) in designated safety zones.

While billed as narrow in scope, the eligible areas for safety zones – within one-eighth mile of the property line of a school, college or Park District facility in Chicago – can potentially cover nearly half of the City of Chicago.

While the speed camera bill won’t go into effect until July, but a Chicago traffic safety blog theexpiredmeter.com reports a new amendment to the bill filed by Sen. Antonio Munoz (D-Chicago) would allow the program to expand beyond the original “municipalities with a population of 1,000,000 or more inhabitants” – meaning Chicago –  to “the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will and to municipalities located within those counties.”

Additionally, the proposed new law adds more teeth to the revenue collection powers for those issuing speed camera violations by ensuring “the Secretary of State may not renew the registration of the vehicle until the registered owner of the vehicle pays any fine or penalty due and owning” – from speed camera fines.

If Sen. Munoz's amendment passes speed cameras, and the hefty fines they levy, could be coming your way soon.