HB318 • 2026

Traffic infractions; parental electronic notification system authorized

Children Parental Rights

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Kiel
Last action: 2026-02-25
Official status: Read Second Time in Second House
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is October 1, 2026, but the bill status shows it was only read a second time as of February 25, 2026; final passage and signing are not confirmed in the provided text.

TJ's Law: Electronic Notification for Minor Traffic Citations

This bill authorizes the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to create a system that sends electronic alerts to parents or legal guardians when their minor children receive traffic citations.

What This Bill Does

Authorizes ALEA to develop and implement an electronic notification system for minors cited with any traffic infraction.
Requires notifications to be sent by reliable electronic means to the parent or legal guardian of a minor under their custody.
Gives the Secretary of ALEA authority to create rules, restrictions, and eligibility requirements needed to run the system.
Sets that parental access ends automatically when the minor turns 19.

Who It Names or Affects

Parents and legal guardians of minors in Alabama
Minors under the age of 19 who receive traffic citations
The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA)

Terms To Know

Minor: An individual under the age of 19.
Emancipated: A legal status that allows a minor to unenroll their parent from the notification system, as defined by ALEA rules.
In loco parentis: An individual who acts in the place of a parent; if a minor lives apart from parents or such individuals and is not dependent on them for support, they may unenroll their parent.

Limits and Unknowns

The system can only be created and continued if funds are available.
Specific details about enrollment evidence and other rules will come from future actions by ALEA.
Minors must provide clear evidence to unenroll a parent, such as proof of emancipation, marriage, divorce after marriage, or having borne a child.

Bill History

2026-02-25 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-25 Senate
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-02-12 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 413 (Yeas 103, Nays 1)
2026-02-12 House
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 103, Nays 0)
2026-02-12 Senate
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-02-12 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation General Fund
2026-02-12 House
Myrex intended to vote "Yea"
2026-02-05 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-04 House
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-01-22 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-01-22 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means General Fund

Official Summary Text

Traffic infractions; parental electronic notification system authorized

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB318 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB318
XDBUXZE-1
By Representative Kiel
RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
First Read: 22-Jan-26
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XDBUXZE-1 01/22/2026 GED (L)ma 2025-2537
Page 1
First Read: 22-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, if a minor is cited for a
tobacco violation, the citing agency must notify the
minor's parent or legal guardian.
This bill would authorize the Alabama State Law
Enforcement Agency (ALEA) to create an electronic
notification system under which a minor's parent or
legal guardian may be notified whenever a minor is
cited for a traffic infraction.
This bill would also give ALEA the authority to
adopt rules, restrictions, and eligibility requirements
that are necessary to create and manage the electronic
notification system.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to traffic infractions; to authorize the
Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to create an electronic
notification system by which parents and legal guardians shall
be notified when a minor receives certain traffic infractions;
and to grant the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency certain
rulemaking authority.
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HB318 INTRODUCED
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rulemaking authority.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
TJ's Law.
Section 2. (a) The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency
(ALEA) shall develop and implement an electronic notification
system by which parents and legal guardians of minors shall
receive notification by reliable electronic means when the
minor under their legal custody is cited for any traffic
infraction.
(b) The Secretary of ALEA shall adopt rules,
restrictions, and eligibility requirements that are necessary
to implement the provisions of this section. At a minimum, the
rules shall include the following provisions:
(1) A parent or legal guardian may enroll in the
electronic notification system by providing sufficient
evidence that the minor is under his or her legal custody.
(2) A parent or legal guardian's access to the
electronic notification system for a minor under the parent or
guardian's legal custody automatically ends once the minor has
reached his or her 19th birthday.
(3) A minor may unenroll a parent or legal guardian
from the electronic notification system upon the submission of
clear evidence that the minor meets one of the following
requirements:
a. The minor is emancipated.
b. The minor is not dependent on a parent or legal
guardian for support and is living apart from his or her
parents or other individual in loco parentis.
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HB318 INTRODUCED
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parents or other individual in loco parentis.
c. The minor is married.
d. The minor having been married is divorced.
e. The minor has borne a child.
(c) The creation and continuation of the electronic
notification system established in this section shall be
contingent upon the availability of funds.
(d) For the purposes of this section, the term "minor"
means an individual under the age of 19.
Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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