HB290 Alabama 2014 Session

Updated Jan 10, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Darrio Melton
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2014
Title: Motor vehicles, child passenger restraints, penalties for violations, portion of penalty distributed for vouchers for limited income families, distributed for administration to Health Department in lieu of Head Injury Foundaion, Sec. 32-5-222 am'd.
Summary: HB290 shifts the child restraint voucher program to the Department of Public Health while keeping fines for violations and directing part of those fines to buy restraints for low-income families.
What This Bill Does
Keeps the requirement that a child in a motor vehicle must be in an appropriate restraint and imposes a $25 fine per offense. Redirects $15 of each fine to fund vouchers for size-appropriate restraints for families with limited income, with the Department of Public Health administering the program. Removes audit provisions tied to the old administering entity because the Department of Public Health is already audited. Clarifies which vehicles are covered and notes exemptions for taxis and vehicles with 11 or more seats.

Who It Affects
Parents or guardians transporting children in motor vehicles: must use properly sized restraints and may incur a $25 fine per offense.
Low-income families in Alabama: eligible to receive vouchers for child restraints funded by the fines.
Department of Public Health: becomes the administering agency for the voucher program.
Alabama Head Injury Foundation: no longer the administrator of the voucher program.

Key Provisions
Maintains requirement to use child passenger restraints meeting safety standards and imposes a $25 fine per offense.
Allocates $15 of each fine to fund vouchers for size-appropriate restraints for limited-income families; funds are to be used for administering the program.
Transfers administration of the voucher program from the Alabama Head Injury Foundation to the Department of Public Health and removes the audit requirements by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts.
Defines covered vehicles (cars, pickups, vans with 10 seats or less, minivans, SUVs) and states exemptions for taxis and vehicles with seating capacity of 11 or more.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Alabama Head Injury Foundation