By a 22-16 vote on Monday, the Connecticut House Judiciary Committee rejected a bill that would have allowed red light cameras and speed cameras to issue tickets within the state. HB5210 made a photograph of a license plate sufficient evidence to convict a motorist of a crime.

"Proof of the registration number of any motor vehicle therein concerned shall be prima facie evidence in any criminal action or in any action based on an infraction that the owner was the operator thereof," the legislation states.

Each speed camera or red light camera ticket would have generated $100, an amount split between the municipality and private camera vendor.

Discussion among lawmakers centered on issues of process and fairness. "I'm not sure if this idea is really a good idea right now," said Assistant Majority Leader Joseph C. Serra (D-Middletown). "I just got a feeling that if we're not careful, we're going to be heading to these local municipality court systems again. And we did away with them, I think, in the late '50s, 1960."