SB21 - Alabama School Bus Safety Act

• Authorizes county and municipal boards of education to implement civil enforcement of school bus violations using automated detection devices, with notices issued by mail rather than traditional citations.

• Vehicle owners are presumptively responsible for civil fines up to $250 but may transfer responsibility to the actual driver or contest the violation, with at least 20 days to respond to notices.

• District and municipal courts have jurisdiction to adjudicate violations; contested cases follow civil procedures with preponderance of evidence standard, and appeals proceed to circuit court.

• Unpaid civil fines trigger suspension of vehicle registration, title transfer, and driver's license issuance or renewal; violations do not appear on driving records, count as points, or affect insurance rates if timely paid.

• Revenue from fines is distributed after operational costs: 40% to the local governing body, 40% to the school system, 10% to the State Department of Education, and 10% to the Alabama Department of Public Safety.