Congressman Pat Harrigan of North Carolina’s 10th District has introduced the Freedom from Automated Speed Enforcement Act of 2025. The bill aims to reduce federal highway funding by 10% for any state that uses automated speed cameras, unless the governor certifies annually that no jurisdiction in the state operates such systems. This certification would be subject to a federal audit.
“Automated speed cameras aren’t about safety, they’re about revenue,” said Congressman Harrigan. “These systems hand out mass fines without context, without discretion, and without due process. They don’t stop reckless drivers, they don’t engage with the community, and they don’t make our roads safer. What they do is quietly drain the pockets of hardworking Americans under the false banner of public safety. Real safety comes from police officers who can make judgment calls, respond in real time, and build trust in the communities they serve. If states want federal highway dollars, they should be investing in real law enforcement, not outsourcing public safety to a machine that functions like a cash register on a pole.”
The proposed legislation allows only narrow exceptions for speed cameras used in clearly marked school zones during school hours or in active construction sites with proper signage and warnings.
Harrigan called on his colleagues to support the measure and end what he described as a hidden tax on drivers.
In 2024, Pat Harrigan won election against Ralph R. Scott, Jr., securing 57.5% of the vote compared to Scott’s 38.2%.
