SB117 Summary

• A judge may only suspend a driver's license for failure to appear in court when the individual has failed to appear on two or more occasions and the appearance relates to a post-adjudication compliance review for a traffic violation.

• A court may not suspend a driver's license for failure to pay fines, fees, or court costs unless the individual fails to make 50% or more of required payments within one year of the court order, or fails to make any additional payments one year after the court order.

• The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency shall add points to a driver's license for any traffic violation resulting in a final conviction, defined as either a judicial finding of guilt, a plea of guilty, or failure to appear in court to dispute the violation.

• Courts must forward conviction records to the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency after appeal deadlines elapse for guilty findings (or within five days for failure-to-appear convictions), and points may only be assessed at the time of final conviction.

• These provisions do not apply to individuals holding commercial driver licenses or operating commercial vehicles, and the act preserves all enforcement authority under the Motor Vehicle Responsibility Act and Mandatory Liability Insurance Act.

• Effective date: October 1, 2022.