On April 28, 2023, the Florida legislature passed HB 657 ("HB 657"), authorizing municipalities to enforce the applicable speed limit on a roadway properly maintained as a school zone through the use of a speed detection system, which is basically a camera that measures vehicular speed. HB 657 further provides that a municipality may authorize a law enforcement officer or traffic infraction enforcement officer to issue uniform traffic citations for speeding violations that are captured by speed detection systems during specified time periods, as well as the assessment of fines and costs.

HB 657 restricts the location and use of speed detection systems to school zones that the municipality determines constitute a heightened safety risk warranting additional enforcement measures. The City has conducted a School Zone Safety Analysis 2024 Study ("Study") that provides the data and evaluation criteria necessary to support such a finding. Based on the evidence presented in the study, the City has determined that certain schools set forth in this ordinance have a heightened safety risk, which supports the installation of school speed zone safety cameras and the implementation of a school zone speed detection program.

No fiscal impact.

Approving Ordinance No. 2024-25 on first reading and requesting that the Mayor and City Clerk present the draft ordinance for second reading and a public hearing at the next City Council Meeting