SB338 Summary

• Establishes the Spinal Cord Injury Research Fund and Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to fund research aimed at discovering treatments and cures for spinal cord injuries.

• Creates a Spinal Cord Injury Research Program administered by the research director within the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, following the university's Spinal Cord Injury Model System guidelines.

• Prohibits use of research funds for projects involving human embryonic stem cells.

• Imposes additional traffic violation fees to fund the program: $10 for driving under the influence convictions, $5 for aggravated moving traffic violations, and $1 for all other moving traffic violations.

• Defines aggravated moving traffic violations as reckless driving, reckless endangerment with motor vehicles, failure to yield right-of-way, passing stopped school buses, speeding 26+ mph over limit, driving on wrong side of road, and illegal passing; law remains in effect until January 1, 2017 unless extended.