1. (a) A board may approve the use of automated devices to detect school bus violations by voting at a meeting of the board to approve the adoption of an automated school bus enforcement program.

   The school board may elect to operate the program authorized in this chapter without the involvement of the governing body or sheriff through the utilization of a trained technician. In such case, all references in this chapter to governing body, county, or city shall apply to the school board.

2. (b) In the alternative, if approved by a board and authorized by ordinance or resolution enacted by the governing body, the board may enter into an agreement with a contractor for the installation, operation, notice processing, administration, and maintenance of school bus automated devices on buses within the school system’s fleet whether owned or leased. Prior to entering into a contract for the installation, operation, notice processing, administration, and maintenance of school bus automated devices, the board shall have entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the appropriate law enforcement agencies, municipal police department, the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, and/or county sheriff, and the local governing body providing that the appropriate law enforcement agency is willing to review any violation occurring in its respective jurisdiction.
3. (c) A civil fine of three hundred dollars ($300) for each offense shall be imposed for a school bus violation for which a notice of violation is issued pursuant to this chapter. All such fines shall be paid, after deducting costs to administer, operate, and maintain the program, as follows: 40 percent to the county or municipal governing body which contracted for the operation of a school bus violation program through an intergovernmental agreement with the board pursuant to subsection (b); 40 percent to the school system where the offense was committed; 10 percent to the State Department of Education for school bus safety initiatives; and 10 percent to the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency for highway safety enforcement.

(Act 2016-166, §3.)