This bill aims to enhance the enforcement of existing laws regarding the safe passage of school buses by authorizing the use of school bus monitoring systems. It amends current legislation to require drivers to stop at least 25 feet from a school bus that is discharging or receiving children or individuals with developmental disabilities. The bill introduces a new civil penalty structure for violations captured by these monitoring systems, imposing a $250 fine for first offenses and a $500 fine for subsequent offenses, along with community service requirements. Notably, violations recorded by these systems will not result in penalty points on a driver's record or affect their automobile insurance eligibility.

Additionally, the bill specifies that school bus monitoring systems must include at least one camera capable of capturing high-resolution images of vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses. It allows municipalities and school districts to contract with private vendors for the installation and maintenance of these systems. The bill also establishes that recorded images from these systems are not public records and must be purged after 60 days if a penalty is imposed, or within 95 days if no summons is issued. It outlines liability for vehicle owners, provides exemptions for lessors under certain conditions, and empowers relevant authorities to adopt regulations for implementation, with provisions taking effect seven months after enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39:4-128.1