CARSON CITY (AP) - Nevada drivers whose traffic offenses are caught by stoplight cameras would automatically be issued citations, under a proposal debated Tuesday by legislators.

The Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee also debated a perennial bill to make non-use of safety belts a primary offense, allowing police to stop drivers who aren't using safety belts and cite them. Currently, police can only issue such a citation after stopping a driver for another offense.

The red-light camera bill, SB61, would allow Nevada cities to install cameras that could automatically issue citations by recording drivers who run red lights or commit other traffic offenses. A similar law was considered in the 2005 Legislature, but died in the Assembly.

The fines for red-light offenders caught on camera would be equal to the locality's lowest parking fine, plus the cost of operating the camera, and would not add points to a driver's record. That's far cheaper than the cost of being stopped for the same offense, a moving violation that costs more than $200.

Chad Dornsife, a critic of what he considers excessive traffic regulations, spoke against the bill, saying it won't contribute to safer intersections. Instead, he suggested engineering measures like longer yellow lights.

"This isn't about safety," said Dornsife. "This is the way to collect money from the public without having to go through the court system."

An array of law enforcement and safe-driving groups rebutted Dornsife's view, saying numerous studies show that the more than 200 communities around the country that use red-light cameras are safer.

Frank Adams, a lobbyist for the Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association, said that some intersections in increasingly urbanized part of Nevada areas were seeing far too many accidents.

"We're trying to educate the public," said Adams. "We're not here to cause a large amount of financial deterrence. (We want) to stop the carnage that goes on at those intersections."

Capt. Tom Conlin, head of Las Vegas Metro's traffic division, echoed those sentiments.

"We don't see a dime of red light revenue (in the bill)," said Conlin. "We don't do policing for profit. Red light cameras do show that they reduce red light running."

Law enforcement and safe-driving groups also spoke in favor of SB42, the newest version of a perennial bill to make non-use of seat belts a primary offense in Nevada.

Michael Geeser, a lobbyist for the American Automobile Association of Nevada, said that because Nevada isn't one of 25 states where not wearing a safety belt is a primary offense, it loses federal money. As a result, the cost of unrestrained drivers' more severe injuries falls partly to taxpayers, said Geeser.

Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, sharply questioned Geeser, asking why insurance companies won't promise to drop their rates to reflect the safer roads that result from more drivers using safety belts.

Geeser said that safer driving does result in lower rates, and agreed to return to the committee with more actuarial information.

Public defenders from Clark and Washoe counties spoke in opposition to the safety belt bill, saying that allowing police to pull drivers over solely for not wearing a safety belt could lead to increased racial profiling.

"Like everybody else, officers are human," said Jason Frierson, representing the Clark County public defender's office. "I don't believe there's a large number that do this intentionally. But even when it's unintentional, I believe safeguards need to be put in place."