Bill Repeals Second Chance and Incarceration Reduction Acts, Eliminates Traffic Cameras and Right-Turn-on-Red Bans

This new legislation is essentially a legislative time machine, hitting the rewind button on several key laws. Specifically, it completely repeals two major criminal justice reform measures—the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022 and the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act of 2016. It also terminates the Automated Traffic Enforcement System (think speed and red-light cameras) and eliminates the restriction on making right turns at red traffic signals. All these changes only apply to criminal activity that happens after the bill becomes law.

The Rewind Button on Criminal Justice Reform

Section 1 is the part that will have the biggest ripple effect. By repealing the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022 and the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act of 2016, the bill wipes out years of policy changes aimed at reducing prison populations and helping formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society. If you or someone you know was counting on provisions from the Second Chance Act—like potential changes to sentencing or re-entry support programs—those measures are now gone, and the law reverts to the potentially harsher, pre-2016 status quo. This is a significant shift away from reform, affecting anyone involved in the criminal justice system.

Traffic Enforcement Takes a U-Turn

Sections 2 and 3 tackle the daily commute. Section 2 completely terminates the Automated Traffic Enforcement System. This means the end of speed cameras and red-light cameras. For drivers who feel these systems are revenue generators rather than safety measures, this might sound like a win. However, for those who rely on automated enforcement to keep streets safer—especially in school zones or high-traffic areas—this removes a major tool for traffic compliance. The financial impact on city budgets, which often rely on ticket revenue, is also a factor here.

Section 3 eliminates the law that currently restricts right turns at red traffic signals. While this could slightly improve traffic flow and save drivers a few seconds, it raises serious safety concerns. When right-on-red is restricted, it’s usually in areas with heavy pedestrian or bicycle traffic. Removing that restriction increases the risk of accidents for pedestrians and cyclists who might be crossing the street, forcing them to bear a higher safety cost for a minor convenience to drivers. If you walk or bike to work, this change means you need to be significantly more cautious at intersections.

What This Means on the Ground

This bill is less about creating new policy and more about aggressively dismantling existing ones. For busy people, the impact is two-fold: First, it signals a significant policy shift toward potentially stricter sentencing and fewer re-entry programs, which affects families, employers, and communities dealing with incarceration. Second, it alters the rules of the road by removing automated enforcement and a key safety measure (the right-on-red restriction). While the bill is clear about what it repeals, the real challenge will be the practical re-adjustment—both in the courts, where previous sentencing guidelines are reversed, and on the streets, where drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists will have to navigate a new, potentially less regulated environment.