SPRINGFIELD - A suburban lawmaker continues to garner bipartisan support for his proposal to repeal red-light cameras throughout the state, which he says are nothing more than a moneymaking scheme.

State Sen. Dan Duffy, a Lake Barrington Republican, introduced legislation earlier this year that would remove the controversial ticketing systems across Illinois except at construction zones and railroad crossings. So far, Duffy's proposal has 16 co-sponsors in the Senate.

"Police officers are there to serve and protect the people - not the cameras," Duffy said during a Capitol news conference.

The Illinois Senate Transportation Committee created a subcommittee for Duffy's plan and other red-light camera legislation, which will meet Tuesday in the Capitol. Typically, a subcommittee is where bills are sent to die without getting a vote, but the committee's chairman Martin Sandoval, a Cicero Democrat, promised Duffy a hearing to fully vet the legislation.

If the subcommittee approves Duffy's proposal, it still must go before the full committee before being sent to the full

Senate for consideration.

Meanwhile, Duffy's measure is only one of a slew of proposals aimed at reforming the use of red-light cameras, which are handled differently in municipalities throughout Illinois.

For instance, state Sen. John Millner, a Carol Stream Republican, introduced legislation that would mandate red-light cameras be painted yellow and signs be installed to remind drivers they must stop on red.

While Duffy said he wholeheartedly supports repealing the cameras, he wouldn't close the door on supporting a reform effort.

"Obviously, I'll always keep an open mind and try to do what's best for the people of Illinois," Duffy said. "If I don't win the war, I certainly want to try to win the battle."

The Daily Herald investigated the phenomenon of red-light cameras cropping up across the suburbs in a series of stories last summer. Research showed that most of the $100 tickets were being issued to people turning right on red, a maneuver safety experts consider less hazardous than barreling straight through. The newspaper also found that in many cases cameras were installed or planned at intersections with zero or a minimal number of crashes related to running red lights.