Rep. Cunningham files highway safety bill in North Carolina House

A new bill filed by State Rep. Cunningham seeks to improve public safety and law enforcement efficiency on roads in Mecklenburg County, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 903 on April 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Highway and Road Safety Act.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to enhance highway and road safety in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, by increasing public safety personnel, revising penalties, and expanding operational capabilities. It allocates over $1 million to fund 12 full-time State Trooper positions and over $400,000 for five additional magistrates, effective July 1, 2025. The bill raises fines for failing to stop for school buses, effective Dec. 1, 2025, and permits vehicle registration to serve as prima facie evidence of responsibility. It also establishes guidelines for disclosing highway camera recordings, defining them as non-public records with disclosures limited to specific individuals or under court orders. Additionally, it appropriates $38 million for 24-hour operations at the Metrolina Transportation Management Center in Charlotte, effective July 1, 2025, to better manage traffic incidents. The bill underscores a commitment to road safety and law enforcement efficiency.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Cunningham proposed the most bills (40) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Cunningham graduated from Central Piedmont Community College in 1981 and again in 1996 from Gaston College with an AAS.

Cunningham, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2013 to represent the state’s 106th House district, replacing previous state representative Martha B. Alexander.