Georgia House Bill HB879

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/28/25

Caption

Motor vehicles; penalty for violations captured by school bus camera; provisions

Summary

HB879 revises Georgia’s school bus passing law and the civil penalty process for violations captured by school bus camera. The bill keeps the underlying duty in place: drivers must stop for a stopped school bus with flashing signals and may not proceed until the bus resumes motion or the signals are off. It also maintains that a violation cited by uniform traffic citation is punishable as a high and aggravated misdemeanor, with a fine of $500 to $1,000, up to 12 months’ confinement, or both. The bill focuses heavily on camera-enforced violations and the notice process sent to vehicle owners. It authorizes courts to amend, modify, alter, suspend, or probate the civil monetary penalty, and requires law enforcement to obtain owner information from the Department of Revenue and mail a detailed citation package within ten days. That mailing must include the citation, an image of the violation, a sworn certificate from a peace officer, instructions on how to rebut the inference of liability, and a conspicuous statement that the recipient has a right to contest the penalty in court. The bill also changes how collected funds are used, directing money remitted from these penalties to be allocated equally among schools in the jurisdiction for school safety purposes, including security systems, crossing guards, training, and related safety or mental health support measures.

Impact

HB879 would amend O.C.G.A. § 40-6-163 by revising the penalty framework for school bus passing violations and by tightening procedural requirements for camera-based enforcement. It would expand court discretion over civil penalties, formalize access to motor vehicle owner records from the Department of Revenue for citation mailing, and require specific notice language to protect the right to contest liability. It would also redirect penalty revenue from general local law enforcement/public safety use to school safety purposes allocated among schools in the jurisdiction.

Sentiment

The bill appears generally supportive of school bus safety enforcement while adding procedural protections for vehicle owners. Its structure suggests a policy balance between deterrence, due process, and earmarking funds for school safety. No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment beyond the bill text itself.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are the size and enforcement of the civil monetary penalty, the use of camera evidence, and the allocation of penalty revenue. Supporters are likely to favor stronger school bus safety enforcement and dedicated school safety funding, while critics may object to automated enforcement, the use of owner liability rather than driver liability, or the redirection of funds away from broader local public safety uses. The bill also addresses due process concerns by requiring prominent notice of the right to contest the penalty, which may have been intended to respond to objections about fairness in camera-based citations.