Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

FILED SENATE
                                                                                       May 2, 2024
                         GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
                                                                S.B. 872
                                     SESSION 2023           PRINCIPAL CLERK
     S                                                                   D
                              SENATE BILL DRS15439-NEa-158
     Short Title:   Failure to Stop for School Bus/Evidence.                                  (Public)
     Sponsors:      Senator Hise (Primary Sponsor).
     Referred to:
 1                                     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 2   AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE USE OF SCHOOL BUS CAMERA RECORDED IMAGES AS
 3       PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE DEMONSTRATING A FAILURE TO STOP FOR A
 4       SCHOOL BUS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE INSTALLATION AND
 5       OPERATION OF SCHOOL BUS CAMERAS.
 6   The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
 7               SECTION 1. G.S. 20-217 reads as rewritten:
 8   "§ 20-217. Motor vehicles to stop for properly marked and designated school buses in
 9               certain instances; evidence of identity of driver.
10       …
11       (h)     Automated school bus safety cameras, as defined in G.S. 115C-242.1, may be used
12   to detect and prosecute violations of this section. Any photograph or video recorded by an
13   automated school bus safety camera shall, if consistent with the North Carolina Rules of
14   Evidence, be admissible as evidence in any proceeding alleging a violation of subsection (a) of
15   this section. Recorded images from a school bus safety camera showing that a school bus was
16   stopped and was displaying its mechanical stop signal or flashing red lights shall be prima facie
17   evidence that (i) the school bus was stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging
18   passengers and (ii) the school bus was equipped and marked in compliance with this section.
19   Failure to produce a photograph or video recorded by an automated school bus safety camera
20   shall not preclude prosecution under this section."
21               SECTION 2.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
22   Public Instruction the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the
23   2024-2025 fiscal year to be allocated to local school administrative units for the purchase and
24   installation of automated school bus safety cameras.
25               SECTION 2.(b) This section becomes effective July 1, 2024.
26               SECTION 3. Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective December 1,
27   2024, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
                                 *DRS15439-NEa-158*
Statutes affected: 
Filed: 20-217
Edition 1: 20-217