HB 344: Motor vehicles; school bus cameras; revise penalty amount for violations captured by recorded images

Georgia law already lets local governments use cameras mounted on school buses to catch drivers who illegally pass a stopped bus, and it holds the vehicle's owner liable for a civil fine when that happens. Under current law that fine is a flat $1,000 regardless of whether it is a first offense or a repeat one. This bill rewrites that part of the law (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-163) so the penalty depends on how many times the same vehicle owner has been caught in the same jurisdiction. A first violation would cost $300, a second violation would cost $500, and a third or later violation would still cost $1,000. The bill does not change any other part of the school bus camera law, such as how images are recorded or how violations are reported.

• Replaces the current flat $1,000 civil penalty for school bus camera violations with a three-tier fine schedule based on the number of violations in a jurisdiction.
• Sets the fine at $300 for a first violation captured by a school bus camera in a given jurisdiction.
• Sets the fine at $500 for a second violation by the same vehicle owner in that jurisdiction.
• Keeps the fine at $1,000 for a third or any later violation by the same vehicle owner in that jurisdiction.

Vehicle owners whose cars are caught on school bus cameras illegally passing a stopped school bus, and the local law enforcement agencies and governing bodies that collect these civil penalties under Georgia's school bus camera law.

Drivers cited once for passing a stopped school bus would pay less than under current law, while those caught repeatedly in the same area would still face the full $1,000 fine, changing how much money local governments collect from first-time versus repeat violators.

• Section 1 amends subparagraph (d)(3)(A) of O.C.G.A. § 40-6-163, which covers civil penalties for school bus camera violations.
• The revised text sets the penalty at $300 for a first violation in a jurisdiction.
• The revised text sets the penalty at $500 for a second violation in a jurisdiction.
• The revised text keeps the penalty at $1,000 for a third or subsequent violation in a jurisdiction.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision.

1. 2025-02-26House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2025-02-12House Second Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-11House First Readers (House)
4. 2025-02-10House Hopper (House)

• Don Parsons (R, HD-044)Primary sponsor
• Derrick McCollum (R, HD-030)
• Mitchell Scoggins (R, HD-014)
• Brad Thomas (R, HD-021)
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)

• school bus safety
• traffic fines
• motor vehicle law
• school bus cameras