The Texas Department of Transportation has ordered cities using unauthorized speed cameras to cease ticketing operations. Rhome Mayor Mark Lorance confirmed to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper that the city had received the department's order. Earlier this month, the state House of Representatives unanimously voted to ban speed cameras in the state.

Rhome, located outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and Marble Falls, outside of Austin, began using ticket cameras last October on high-volume highways that pass through the small cities. Marble Falls hired Nestor Inc. to issue the $100 cities, allowing the company to keep a $25 bounty for every ticket it was able to issue. Rhome also allowed Nestor to mail out tickets worth a minimum of $179 each.

The ban comes as a severe blow to the troubled Rhode Island photo ticketing company which has been losing money at such a high rate that its stock price has plunged to 60 cents a share. The Nasdaq issued a warning that the company would be kicked off the capital market if it does not raise its stock price by October.

A local Wise County attorney commenting on the ticketing operations referred to the device as the "Rhome Nazi Cam."