HB376 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Margie WilcoxRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Mobile Co., electronic enforcement related to overtaking of school bus

Summary

Mobile County would allow civil, electronic enforcement to catch drivers who overtook a stopped school bus, with a structured notice-and-pay process and appeals.

What This Bill Does

The bill lets Mobile County boards of education approve electronic devices that detect bus overtaking violations and contract with private vendors or coordinate with law enforcement and courts to run the program. It makes unauthorized overtaking a civil offense with a fine up to $300, assigns liability to the vehicle owner (with options to transfer to the actual operator), and sets how notices are issued, paid, contested, or transferred. It also requires destruction of certain recorded material, states that civil penalties are not criminal and do not appear on driving records, and provides an appeal path to the Circuit Court of Mobile County.

Who It Affects

• Vehicle owners in Mobile County (and the person actually operating the vehicle at the time) who would be liable for a civil fine of up to $300, with procedures to transfer responsibility, contest the violation, or pay the fine; unpaid fines can affect vehicle licenses, titles, and the driver’s license.
• Mobile County school boards, local law enforcement agencies, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the license-issuance authorities, the sheriff’s office, and the district/municipal courts that administer, enforce, and oversee the electronic school bus enforcement program, including notices, records, and funding allocations.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: Establishes the Mobile County School Bus Safety Act authorizing the use of electronic devices to detect overtaking of a stopped school bus, with boards of education able to approve the program and enter contracts with private vendors or coordinate with ALEA and local courts for operation and enforcement.
• Provision 2: Defines the civil penalty framework (up to $300) and the liability scheme (owner liable unless transfer to the operator is valid), outlines notice and appeal procedures, transfer options, destruction of recorded evidence, and how fines are distributed among the county/municipality, the school system, ALEA, and the sheriff; also sets non-criminal nature of the violation and appeals to the Circuit Court of Mobile County.

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

Subjects

Mobile County