H 304

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1H.304
2 Introduced by Representatives Morgan, L. of Milton and Morgan, M. of
3Milton
4 Referred to Committee on
5 Date:
6 Subject: Motor vehicles; school buses; stop-arm violations; traffic cameras
7 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require traffic
8 cameras on all Types I and II school buses and allow for the issuance of a civil
9 traffic violation for illegally passing a school bus based on an image of a
10 violation from a traffic camera on a school bus.
11    An act relating to traffic cameras and traffic violations for illegally passing
12    a school bus
13 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
14 Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 4(44) is amended to read:
15(44) “Moving violation” means any violation of any provision of this
16 title, while the motor vehicle is being operated on a public highway, over
17 which operation the operator has discretion as to commission of the act, except
18 for offenses pertaining to:
19(A) a parked vehicle, equipment, size, weight, inspection, or
20 registration of the vehicle;
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1(B) child restraint or safety belt systems or seat belts as required in
2 section 1258 or 1259 of this title; or
3(C) motorcycle headgear under section 1256 of this title; or
4(D) passing a school bus under section 1075 of this title.
5 Sec. 2. 23 V.S.A. § 1075 is amended to read:
6 § 1075. PASSING SCHOOL BUS
7    (a) The operator of a motor vehicle, including authorized emergency
8 vehicles under section 1015 of this title, upon meeting or overtaking a vehicle
9 marked and equipped as provided in section 1283 of this title that has stopped
10 on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging public or private
11 schoolchildren, shall stop his or her the operator’s vehicle immediately and
12 shall keep it stationary while the flashing red signal lights are in operation.
13    (b) The driver of a vehicle need not stop upon a highway with separate
14 roadways upon meeting or overtaking a school bus that is on a different
15 roadway, or upon a controlled access highway where the school bus is stopped
16 in a loading zone that is a part of or adjacent to the highway at a point where
17 pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.
18    (c) A law enforcement officer shall issue a Vermont Civil Violation
19 Complaint for a traffic violation for the violation of subsection (a) of this
20 section to the registered owner of a motor vehicle identified by number plate
21 within 10 days after a school bus operator attests in a writing made under the
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1 penalty of perjury that the motor vehicle bearing that number plate passed a
2 stopped school bus in violation of subsection (a) of this section, provided that
3 the writing also includes the date, time, and location of the violation; the
4 writing is made within five days after the date of the violation; and one or more
5 images clearly showing the motor vehicle bearing that number plate passing a
6 stopped school bus in violation of subsection (a) of this section are attached to
7 the writing.
8 Sec. 3. 23 V.S.A. § 1283 is amended to read:
9 § 1283. IDENTIFICATION AND EQUIPMENT OF SCHOOL BUSES
10    (a) Types I and II school buses shall be:
11***
12(4) Equipped with a system of signal lamps approved by the
13 Commissioner, including an eight-light system on any new or used school bus
14 ordered on and after July 1, 1976. The driver of a Type I or a Type II school
15 bus shall keep the alternately flashing red signal lamps lighted whenever
16 school children are being received or discharged, and they shall be used only
17 for that purpose. A school bus driver found in violation of this subdivision
18 shall be guilty of a traffic violation.
19***
20(6) Equipped with a live digital video school bus passing violation
21 detection monitoring system that:
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1(A) is operational whenever the school bus is on, even if the school
2 bus is idling;
3(B) includes one or more camera sensors and computers that produce
4 live digital and recorded video images of motor vehicles operated in violation
5 of section 1075 of this title with the date, time, and location of the violation;
6(C) only records images of the number plates of motor vehicles
7 operated in violation of section 1075 of this title and does not record images of
8 the occupants of motor vehicles or any other individuals; and
9(D) only preserves video or images for up to 90 days, whether on the
10 monitoring system or otherwise, unless the school bus operator attests to a
11 violation under subsection 1075(c) of this title, in which case the video or
12 image or images shall be preserved until the traffic violation is dismissed or the
13 applicable civil penalty is collected and then destroyed.
14(7) In compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for
15 school buses as of the date of manufacture.
16    (b) Any school bus meeting the identification requirements of subdivisions
17 (a)(1)–(4) of this section that is permanently converted for use wholly for
18 purposes other than transporting pupils to or from school, or transporting
19 organized groups of preschool or school-age children, shall be painted a color
20 other than national school bus glossy yellow and shall have the stop arm, if
21 any, and equipment required by this section removed.
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1    (c) Type I and Type II school buses being operated on a public highway
2 and transporting primarily passengers other than school pupils shall have the
3 words “School Bus” covered, removed, or otherwise concealed, and the stop
4 arms and equipment permitted by this section and section 1281a of this title
5 shall not be operable through the usual controls.
6    (d) No motor vehicle other than a school bus shall display the identifying
7 equipment and signs required by this section.
8 Sec. 4. 23 V.S.A. § 2502 is amended to read:
9 § 2502. POINT ASSESSMENT; SCHEDULE
10    (a) Unless the assessment of points is waived by a Superior judge or a
11 Judicial Bureau hearing officer in the interests of justice and in accordance
12 with subsection 2501(b) of this title, a person operating a motor vehicle shall
13 have points assessed against his or her the person’s driving record for
14 convictions for moving violations of the indicated motor vehicle statutes in
15 accord with the following schedule: (All references are to this title of the
16 Vermont Statutes Annotated.)
17***
18(4) Five points assessed for:
19***
20(B)       § 1075.        Illegal passing of school bus; [Repealed.]
21***
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1 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
2   This act shall take effect on August 1, 2026 and first apply to school buses
3 operated during the 2026–2027 school year.
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