Substitute Senate Bill No. 420, Public Act No. 24-107, is a legislative act that revises the laws concerning the illegal passing of school buses and the use of live digital video school bus violation detection monitoring systems. The bill amends Section 14-279 of the general statutes, effective July 1, 2024, to require vehicles to stop for school buses with flashing red lights, except when separated by a safety island or physical barrier on a multi-lane highway. It sets fines for violations and allows school bus operators to report violations leading to warnings or summonses. The bill also repeals and replaces Section 14-279a to define and regulate the use of monitoring systems, which municipalities or local/regional boards of education may install or contract out. The systems are to record only the number plate of the violating vehicle, and the bill sets a deadline of July 1, 2026, for ceasing operation of such systems unless certain conditions are met.

The bill specifies that the vehicle's registration number is prima facie evidence of the owner's operation of the vehicle during a violation, with exceptions for leased or rented vehicles. It allows municipalities to adopt ordinances for the use of municipal school bus violation enforcement systems, establish fines, and use the proceeds for public safety improvements. The bill requires the posting of warning signs on buses equipped with the enforcement system and mandates the review of evidence by police officers or authorized municipal employees. Citations must be mailed within 30 days of the violation, and the bill details the citation contents, mailing process, evidence for hearings, and liability for fines. It provides defenses against violations, mandates the destruction of recorded images, prohibits their use in other legal proceedings, and ensures that violations do not affect driving records or insurance policies. Finally, the bill amends Section 7-152c to include provisions for sending notices for unpaid fines related to citations issued under the act, with the bill being approved on June 4, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 14-279, 14-279a, 14-279b
PS Joint Favorable Substitute: 14-279, 14-279a, 14-279b
File No. 265: 14-279, 14-279a, 14-279b
Public Act No. 24-107: 14-279, 14-279a, 14-279b