SB334 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jimmy Holley

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

School buses, automated civil enforcement of school bus violations, county and city boards of education may initiate and enforce, district and municipal courts, county and city law enforcement

Summary

SB334 would let local school boards use automated cameras to civilly enforce school bus overtaking violations, issue notices by mail, and collect fines through a new local enforcement program (potentially with private contractors).

What This Bill Does

The bill allows counties or municipalities to adopt a civil enforcement program using automated devices to detect school bus violations and issue notices by mail, possibly through private contractors who install and manage the devices. Owners are presumptively responsible for the civil fines but may transfer responsibility or contest the notice in court; district and municipal courts would hear the civil actions. Fines are capped at $300 for a first offense, $750 for a second, and $1,000 for each subsequent offense within five years, and the money is split as 40% to the contracting local government, 40% to the affected school system, 10% to the Alabama Department of Education for school bus safety initiatives, and 10% to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency for highway safety enforcement; the bill also sets rules on evidence, appeals, and nonpayment collection.

Who It Affects

• Vehicle owners (and any person identified as operating the vehicle) who are issued a civil notice and may be liable for the civil fine, with options to transfer responsibility or contest.
• Counties/municipalities, school systems, and contracted private vendors (along with local law enforcement) that implement, operate, enforce, and collect fines under the automated school bus enforcement program.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes boards of education to approve an automated school bus violation enforcement program and, if desired, contract with private vendors to install, operate, maintain, and process notices for the program, with intergovernmental agreement requirements involving law enforcement.
• Defines civil offense for overtaking a stopped school bus and establishes that the vehicle owner is presumptively responsible, with procedures to transfer responsibility or contest in court; jurisdiction lies in district or municipal courts, depending on location.
• Sets civil fine amounts: $300 for first offense, $750 for second offense, and $1,000 for each subsequent offense in a five-year period; fines are distributed 40% to the contracting county/municipality, 40% to the school system, 10% to the Alabama Department of Education, and 10% to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
• Requires notices to be mailed within 14 days of review, with specific information included (owner, vehicle, violation, date/time/location, images, payment terms, and contest/transfer procedures); images that identify violations must be destroyed within specified timelines, and faces of drivers/passengers are not to be shown on notices.
• Allows transfer of responsibility to another operator, outlines procedures if a non-owner is found to have operated the vehicle, and provides for new notices to the new operator with options to pay or contest.
• Provides for appeals and adjudication in court (preponderance of evidence standard); allows a trial de novo on appeal to circuit court under specified conditions and requires payment of the fine to pursue an appeal.
• Nonpayment can be collected by the county/municipality or their contractor; there is no arrest for nonpayment, and collection services may be used.
• Evidence management and access rules give the board ownership of photographic evidence and restrict access to a valid court order; the act does not preclude continuing existing uniform traffic ticket processes where applicable.
• The act may operate in parallel with, and be subordinate to, existing traffic ticket processes; if both a traffic ticket and a civil notice are issued for the same action, the traffic ticket controls.
• Effective date and severability: the act becomes effective a few months after passage/approval; the provisions are severable, so if part is invalid, the rest remains in effect.

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

Subjects

School Bus Violation