This bill aims to enhance school bus safety by addressing the illegal passing of school buses through the installation of stop signal arm video recording devices. The Department of Education is authorized to contract with a private vendor for the installation, operation, and maintenance of these devices, which will capture violations of K.S.A. 8-1556. School district boards of education must adopt a resolution to work with the vendor, and the agreement must specify compensation and data reporting requirements. Civil penalties for violations will be set at $250, and collected penalties will be directed to a newly created school bus safety and education fund.

The bill outlines the procedures for handling violations detected by the recording devices, including verification by the Kansas Highway Patrol and the issuance of notices to vehicle owners. It also establishes the process for contesting violations, including potential defenses for registered owners. Additionally, the bill mandates an annual report to the legislature detailing the number of violations captured and penalties collected, while ensuring that recorded images are not subject to open records laws. The provisions regarding the retention of recorded images will expire on July 1, 2028, unless extended by the legislature.