HB1161: HB1161 Motor vehicles; proper operation upon approach by an authorized emergency vehicle or by a law enforcement vehicle for purposes of a traffic stop; provide

This bill rewrites several parts of Georgia's motor vehicle code (Title 40). It clarifies that a driver being pulled over by police can keep driving briefly, using hazard lights or a turn signal and staying within the speed limit, until reaching a safe spot to stop, rather than being required to stop immediately even in an unsafe location. It also revises the penalty structure for fleeing or eluding a police officer, calculating prison time at 30 days for every mile a person drove while fleeing, and bars judges from suspending, reducing, or merging certain fleeing convictions with other charges. The bill lowers the legal window tint limit for front side windows from 32 percent to 28 percent light transmission and adds a definition for light reflectance. It changes how school zone speed cameras get permitted, requires local governments to report camera revenue to the Department of Public Safety each year, and requires citation notices to warn that unpaid fines can block vehicle registration renewal. Most changes take effect July 1, 2026, except the school zone sign requirement, which takes effect July 1, 2027.

• Allows a driver being stopped by police to continue driving with hazard lights or a turn signal on to a reasonably safe location instead of stopping immediately in an unsafe spot.
• Sets prison sentences for fleeing or eluding a police officer at a rate of 30 days for each mile the person drove while fleeing, within existing minimum and maximum sentence ranges.
• Bars courts from suspending, probating, deferring, reducing, or merging certain fleeing convictions with other charges after sentencing.
• Lowers the legal minimum light transmission for tinted front side and door windows from 32 percent to 28 percent and adds a legal definition for 'light reflectance.'
• Requires counties and cities using automated school zone speed cameras to file an annual revenue report with the Department of Public Safety.
• Changes the permit process for school zone speed cameras and requires citation notices to warn that unpaid fines can block vehicle registration renewal.

Drivers stopped by police, people charged with fleeing or eluding law enforcement, vehicle owners who tint their windows, school districts and local governments that operate automated speed cameras, and the Departments of Public Safety and Transportation, which oversee camera permits and reporting.

Drivers pulled over by police would get clearer legal footing to find a safe stopping spot rather than stopping in traffic. People convicted of fleeing police could face longer, harder-to-reduce sentences tied to how far they drove. Drivers with dark front window tint could face new tint violations, and local governments running speed cameras would face new reporting duties.

• Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 40-6-74 to add a subsection letting a driver display flashers or a turn signal and drive to a safe location, at the posted speed limit, before stopping for police.
• Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 40-6-395 so fleeing convictions carry 30 days of prison time per mile driven while fleeing, and bars courts from suspending or reducing certain fleeing sentences.
• Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-8-73.1 to cut the allowed light transmission for front side and door window tint from 32 percent to 28 percent and adds a 'light reflectance' definition.
• Section 5 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-14-6 to set new sign specifications for warning drivers about automated speed cameras in school zones, effective July 1, 2027.
• Section 6 adds a new subsection to O.C.G.A. § 40-14-11 requiring counties and cities using speed cameras to file an annual revenue report with the Department of Public Safety.
• Section 7 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-14-18 to revise the school-zone camera permit application process and require citation notices to warn that unpaid fines can block registration renewal.
• Section 8 sets the general effective date as July 1, 2026, except the school zone sign requirement in Section 5, which takes effect July 1, 2027.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-12Act 640
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-04-02Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
6. 2026-04-02House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (House)
7. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2026-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)

• Marvin Lim (D, HD-098)Primary sponsor
• Jasmine Clark (D, HD-108)
• Mary Ann Santos (D, HD-117)
• Soo Hong (R, HD-103)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 19, 2026

   162 yea, 2 nay (8 not voting, 5 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #534

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   43 yea, 7 nay (0 not voting, 4 absent)

   Adoption Of Amendment #1 By The Senator From The 29th: Senate Vote #908

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   46 yea, 3 nay (1 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #909

4. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   163 yea, 6 nay (4 not voting, 3 absent)

   Agree To Senate Sub As Am: House Vote #864

5. PassedSenate voteApril 3, 2026

   33 yea, 19 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Agree To House Amendment To Senate Substitute: Senate Vote #982

• traffic stops
• fleeing police penalties
• window tint law
• school zone speed cameras
• vehicle registration