FRANKFORT— A bill seeking to deter drivers from not stopping while children are boarding and departing school buses advanced out of the House Education Committee on Tuesday.
Under House Bill 221, school districts would be allowed to install stop-arm cameras on school buses, and local law enforcement would be allowed to issue civil penalties for violators.
Similar legislation has been proposed for three years, and this is second year that Rep. David Hale, R-Wellington, has sponsored the bill.
“This bill, again, is about safety about some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and that is our children that are riding our school buses to and from school every day,” Hale said. “It is estimated that there are literally thousands of violations that happen across the country and also right here in the state of Kentucky.”
Hale told the committee that an incident recently happened outside his home. A neighbor was departing a school bus when a driver ignored the bus’s stop arm and flashing lights. The neighbor’s mother ran out into the street to try to protect the child. Thankfully, no one was harmed, Hale said.
“I have no sympathy, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart, no sympathy for anyone that would illegally pass a stopped school bus that is allowing our children to exit that bus or either to get on,” Hale said.
HB 221 is not a mandate for school districts, Hale said. The cameras would take a photo of the violator’s license plate. Hale said he hopes the civil penalties in the bill will change the behavior of drivers who pass stopped school buses.
Under HB 221, violators would be issued a $300 fine on the first offense and a $500 for a second or subsequent offence within a three-year period.
During discussion, Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, asked Hale if stop-arm cameras contain any facial recognition software. Hale said no.
“I want to make sure everyone here understands I know there’s privacy issues that some people have… that is not my intent at all,” Hale said. “This is to protect those children.”
HB 221 will now go before the full House for consideration.
