Georgia CommonsHouse · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 651: Motor vehicles; use of automated traffic enforcement safety devices in school zones; revise provisions
Last action July 1, 2026 · Effective Date
House Bill 651 rewrites Georgia's rules for school zone speed cameras, adding new penalties for misuse, requiring flashing warning lights, and requiring local voters to approve camera enforcement through a referendum starting in 2027.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia law already lets local governments use automated cameras to catch speeders in school zones, but HB 651 changes many of the details. It removes the old exception that let school zones, historic districts, and residential streets skip the general rule that a driver must be going more than 10 mph over the limit before a case can be made, since that exception is struck from Code Section 40-14-8. It creates fines against agencies or agents that intentionally misuse the cameras: $2,500 for a first violation and $5,000 for a second, with the state authorized to suspend a jurisdiction's permit after a third violation. The bill also updates warning-sign standards to require flashing yellow lights, caps processing fees on civil penalties at $10 instead of $25, bars late fees and taxes on camera penalties, and lets district attorneys and solicitors-general prosecute unpaid penalties. Most changes take effect July 1, 2026, but the new sign rules and a requirement that counties or cities get local voter approval by referendum before using school zone cameras take effect July 1, 2027.
What the bill does
- Repeals the exception that let school zones, historic districts, and residential streets skip the requirement that a driver be more than 10 mph over the limit before a speeding case can be made.
- Creates state fines of $2,500 for a first intentional misuse of an automated traffic camera and $5,000 for a second, with permit suspension possible after a third violation.
- Requires new warning signs for school zone cameras to include flashing yellow lights and sets updated placement and size standards, effective July 1, 2027.
- Lowers the cap on electronic processing fees added to camera citations from $25 to $10 and bans late fees or taxes on those penalties.
- Requires counties and cities to get voter approval through a referendum before entering or renewing a contract to use school zone speed cameras, starting July 1, 2027.
- Lets district attorneys, solicitors-general, and other prosecuting attorneys enforce unpaid civil penalties from school zone camera violations.
Who it affects
Local governments and police departments that operate school zone speed cameras, drivers cited by those cameras, school districts near camera locations, the Georgia Department of Transportation and Department of Public Safety, and district attorneys and solicitors-general who would gain new enforcement duties.
Why it matters
Drivers in school zones could see fewer camera-based tickets for the smallest speeding margins but stiffer state penalties against agencies that misuse the systems. Communities that already use or want to use school zone cameras would need to win a local voter referendum to keep or start the program after mid-2027.
Key provisions
- Section 3 repeals the old exception in O.C.G.A. § 40-14-8 that applied the 10-mph threshold differently in school zones, historic districts, and residential areas.
- Section 4 adds new fines under O.C.G.A. § 40-14-11: $2,500 for a first intentional violation of camera enforcement rules and $5,000 for a second, with permit suspension after a third.
- Section 8 revises O.C.G.A. § 40-14-18 to lower the electronic processing fee cap from $25 to $10, ban late fees and taxes on penalties, and add a citation notice stating drivers can contest liability in court.
- Section 2 requires school zone camera warning signs to include flashing yellow lights, effective July 1, 2027.
- Section 9 creates new O.C.G.A. § 40-14-19, requiring a local referendum before a county or municipality can use school zone speed cameras, with approval lasting six years.
- Sections 10 through 13 authorize district attorneys, solicitors-general, and other prosecuting attorneys to enforce unpaid civil penalties tied to school zone camera citations.
- Section 14 sets the general effective date as July 1, 2026, but delays the sign and referendum requirements (Sections 2 and 9) until July 1, 2027.
From the bill
“any agent, law enforcement agency, or governing body found to have intentionally violated any provision of this chapter relating to automated traffic enforcement safety devices, including, but not limited to, the unauthorized issuance of a civil monetary penalty for a violation of this title other than as provided for in this chapter, shall be assessed a fine of $2,500.00 for the first violation and $5,000.00 for a second violation”
“no contract shall be entered into or renewed by the governing body of a county or municipality or any law enforcement agency thereof for the enforcement of speeding violations in a school zone through the use of an automated traffic enforcement safety device unless the question of such enforcement method is submitted to the qualified voters”
“No late fee shall be imposed for any unpaid civil monetary penalty imposed under this Code section.”
Discussed in meetings (2)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate floor session, March 25, 2026 (legislative day 37)
From 6:38:22 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter described HB 651 as a compromise preserving local school-zone cameras while limiting misuse. The proposed replacement would restrict enforcement hours, require flashing lights for reduced speeds, allow citations only above ten miles per hour over the reduced limit, lower processing fees from $25 to $10 and prohibit extra surcharges. The presenter described state oversight, penalties and permit revocation for misuse, appeal rights, inclusion of camera revenue in a 35 percent traffic-fine budget cap and restrictions on spending proceeds, including a ban on salaries. The presenter said new or renewed contracts would need voter approval every six years. Asked about voting areas, the presenter said municipal contracts would require municipal votes and unincorporated-area contracts countywide votes. Asked why six years, the presenter cited staggered contracts and infrastructure transition time. Several members welcomed voter control and protections against revenue-driven enforcement. An amendment to lower the subsequent-offense fine from $125 to $75 failed 23 to 27. The Senate agreed to the House amendment with the Senate's replacement amendment, 49 to 1, then approved immediate transmission to the House without objection.
House floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, PM, part 2)
From 5:26:39 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter said the Senate's replacement version of HB 651 would require a local referendum for school-zone speed cameras. The presenter explained that the Senate had removed the House's other safeguards, but those requirements had been placed in separate legislation considered earlier in the meeting. The presenter described the two measures together as combining voter approval with camera controls and driver notifications. Another member emphasized giving residents a vote on starting or continuing camera use, and the presenter agreed. The House agreed to the Senate's replacement version, 156 to 14.
Status timeline
- Effective Date
- Act 711
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
- Senate Transmitted House (Senate)
- Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate)
- House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (House)
Show full history (22 actions)
- Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Withdrawn & Recommitted (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Alan Powell (R, HD-33)
- John Corbett (R, HD-174)
- Chris Erwin (R, HD-32)
- James Burchett (R, HD-176)
- Bruce Williamson (R, HD-112)
- Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
- Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
Votes
- House voteMarch 4, 2025
164 yea, 8 nay (4 not voting, 4 excused)
- Senate voteApril 4, 2025
40 yea, 15 nay (0 not voting, 1 excused)
- Senate voteApril 4, 2025
51 yea, 3 nay (1 not voting, 1 excused)
- House voteApril 4, 2025
140 yea, 29 nay (3 not voting, 8 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 25, 2026
23 yea, 27 nay (2 not voting, 2 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 25, 2026
49 yea, 1 nay (1 not voting, 3 excused)
- House voteApril 3, 2026
156 yea, 14 nay (5 not voting, 1 excused)
Topics
- school zone speed cameras
- traffic enforcement
- local referendums
- traffic tickets and fines
- Georgia motor vehicle law