When the Texas Legislature passed a law allowing red-light traffic enforcement cameras this year, lawmakers wanted to make sure local governments didn’t get too greedy.

To keep them from profiting from fines and citations (and putting cameras up at every intersection), the Legislature required cities to send 50 percent of all the money raised to the state.

In a bill passed earlier this year, the Legislature promised to send that money to local trauma centers. However, according to Houston’s Finance and Administration Department, the Legislature neglected to put a key part of that deal into writing.

Although half of all red-light camera revenue must still be sent to the state, it’s going to the general budget; not necessarily to trauma centers. Last month, Houston’s 70 cameras raised about $280,000 for diversion to the state, according to City Council Member M.J. Kahn.

Kahn said he was shocked to learn the Legislature didn’t follow through on its promise to send the money to hospitals. That goal is outlined in the state Legislature’s formal description of the bill, signed into law this summer by Gov. Rick Perry.

According to Kahn, it appears the state’s appropriations committees neglected to incorporate the trauma-care directive into budget documents.