HB86 Alabama 2023 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Debbie Wood
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2023
Title: Relating to motor vehicles and traffic; to amend Sections 11-49-4, 32-5A-173, and 32-5A-176, Code of Alabama 1975; to prohibit a municipality from setting speed limits on county-maintained streets within its corporate limits; and to make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.
Summary: HB86 would prohibit municipalities from setting speed limits on county-maintained streets within their corporate limits and update the code language to current style.
What This Bill Does
Prohibits cities from fixing the speed on county-maintained streets located within their corporate limits. Keeps the process for setting speeds on other city streets (not county-maintained) under municipal control, and outlines how local authorities determine reasonable, safe speeds on various roads using engineering studies. Includes non-substantive, technical updates to modernize the Code language.

Who It Affects
Municipalities (cities and towns): lose authority to set speed limits on county-maintained streets inside their borders.
Counties: retain or gain authority to set and adjust speeds on county-maintained streets within city boundaries.
Drivers: may see changes in speed limits on certain roads where county control applies, based on engineering studies and allowable maximums.
Department of Transportation and state transportation authorities: continue oversight for state highways and signage related to speed limit changes.

Key Provisions
A municipality may not fix the speed at which motor vehicles may be operated on a county-maintained street located within the municipality's corporate limits.
Local authorities may adjust maximum speeds on various road types (including decreases or increases) based on engineering and traffic investigations, within statutory limits and Governor-approved maximums.
Municipal speed-setting authority remains for streets within the municipality that are not county-maintained.
Includes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the code language to current style.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Counties & Municipalities, prohibited municipalities from setting speed limits on county-maintained streets