North Carolina HB 982: NC Highway Safety Act of 2025.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 982

Short Title: NC Highway Safety Act of 2025. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Cervania and Budd (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 14, 2025
*H982-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY BY 2
AUTHORIZING THE USE OF ELECTRONIC SPEED-MEASURING SYSTEMS BY THE 3
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO DETECT SPEED LIMIT VIOLATIONS IN 4
HIGHWAY WORK ZONES; TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR THE APPROVAL, 5
USE, AND CALIBRATION OF ELECTRONIC SPEED-MEASURING SYSTEMS; TO 6
ESTABLISH A CIVIL PENALTY FOR SPEED VIOLATIONS IN HIGHWAY WORK 7
ZONES THAT ARE DETECTED BY THOSE SYSTEMS; TO CREATE A NEW SPECIAL 8
FUND WITHIN THE STATE CIVIL PENALTY AND FORFEITURE FUND; AND TO 9
PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE PENALTIES INTO THE DESIGNATED 10
SPECIAL FUND. 11
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 12
SECTION 1. Article 3 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding 13
a new section to read: 14
"§ 20-141.7. Use of electronic speed-measuring systems to detect speed limit violations in 15
highway work zones. 16
(a) Authorization. – Electronic speed-measuring systems may be used to detect violations 17
of the speed limit set by G.S. 20-141(j2) for State-maintained highways in work zones. 18
(b) Definition. – As used in this section, an electronic speed-measuring system is a mobile 19
or fixed device (i) consisting of an automated traffic camera and sensor and (ii) capable of 20
measuring the speed and producing one or more digital photographs of a motor vehicle violating 21
a speed limit set by G.S. 20-141(j2). 22
(c) Minimum Standards. – An electronic speed-measuring system authorized for use by 23
this section shall produce at least one photograph that clearly shows a recorded image of the 24
vehicle speeding; the vehicle registration number and state of issuance; the date, time, and 25
location of the violation; and the recorded speed. 26
(d) Signage. – The Department of Transportation shall provide notice of the presence of 27
an electronic speed-measuring system by posting a conspicuous warning sign not more than 28
1,000 feet from the location of the system. All warning signs shall be consistent with a statewide 29
standard adopted by the Department of Transportation. 30
(e) Use. – An electronic speed-measuring system authorized for use by this section shall 31
be approved by the Secretary of Transportation. No local government may operate an electronic 32
speed-measuring system. 33
(f) Penalty. – Except as provided by subsection (i) of this section, a violation of a speed 34
limit on a State-maintained highway within a zone established pursuant to G.S. 20-141(j2) that 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 982-First Edition
is detected by an electronic speed-measuring system is a noncriminal violation for which a civil 1
penalty shall be assessed and for which no points authorized by G.S. 20-16(c) shall be assigned 2
to the owner or driver of the vehicle nor insurance points as authorized by G.S. 58-36-65. The 3
civil penalty shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for a violation of a speed limit on a 4
State-maintained highway within a work zone established pursuant to G.S. 20-141(j2). 5
(g) Notification of Violation. – The Department of Transportation shall issue to the 6
registered owner of a motor vehicle cited for a speeding violation detected by an electronic 7
speed-measuring system a notice of the violation containing all of the information listed in this 8
subsection. The notice shall be delivered by first-class United States mail at the address on the 9
current registration of the vehicle's owner and is deemed served on the registered owner five days 10
after the mailing. The notice of the violation shall contain all of the following: 11
(1) The recorded image of the vehicle speeding. 12
(2) The vehicle registration number and state of issuance. 13
(3) The date, time, and location of the violation. 14
(4) The recorded speed. 15
(5) The process for paying the civil penalty or contesting the owner's 16
responsibility for the violation. 17
(h) Liability. – The registered owner of a vehicle cited for a speeding violation detected 18
by an electronic speed-measuring system shall be responsible for any penalty imposed under this 19
section unless, within 30 days of service of the notification of violation, the owner provides to 20
the Division of Motor Vehicles a sworn affidavit containing the information listed in one of the 21
subdivisions of this subsection. If the registered owner fails to pay the civil penalty or fails to 22
respond to the notice within 30 days of service of the notification of violation, the owner waives 23
the right to contest responsibility for the violation and is subject to an additional civil penalty