Safety Coordinating Committee

Since the enactment of my bill #2006-199 in the 2006 legislative session, this important committee has come to life. There are 12 members, and all but the legislative members are permitted to send a proxy. This committee is composed of the Governor as Chairman, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Director of Public Safety, the Director of the Department of Transportation, the Attorney General, the Administrator of the Beverage Control Board (ABC), the Director of the Department of Forensic Services, two senators, and two House members. I serve as the Governor’s proxy and am chairman of the committee. There is also an at-large member. This is a high profile group of committee members, a reflection of the seriousness of the highway safety problem in Alabama.

This committee has prepared a package of proposed highway safety legislation to be offered during the 2008 Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature. Along with recommendations from the State Highway Safety Plan and participation of the Traffic Records Coordinating Committee, we selected 10 bills from a list of over 40 suggestions. Those bills we will be introducing are as follows:

1. Clear up confusion concerning admissibility of prior DUI convictions.
2. Close loophole that unlicensed drivers can use to escape prosecution.
3. Increase penalties for attempting to allude
4. Allow small towns to stop speeders on interstates
5. Allow citation for infraction not witnessed by officer when there is intent to commit.
6. Institute higher more serious penalties for aggravated DUI, levels over .15.
7. Strengthen Graduated Drivers License law. Limit passengers to one.
8. Prohibit cell phone use by drivers age 17 and under.
9. Mandatory seat belts for all passengers in private vehicles.
10. Clarify Move Over Law
11. Red light cameras.
12. Portable Speed Zones
13. Ignition Interlock.

These bills when enacted will save lives and heart break on Alabama highways. There are many areas we could have tackled, but after much deliberation this is the direction we are going.

You can help by contacting your State Representative and your State Senator and ask them to support this legislation.