This bill authorizes a county or municipality to hire employees or appoint volunteers to divert vehicles, excluding emergency vehicles, to an existing lane of traffic or to temporarily close a lane or portion of a public road or highway within a marked school zone for dropping off or picking up students at school when warning flashers are in operation during the period of time necessary for dropping off or picking up students.
This bill requires a county or municipality to ensure that appropriate signage is posted not less than 500 feet, but not more than 1,000 feet, in advance of a marked school zone informing drivers as to the traffic diversion or temporary closure at the approaching school zone.
This bill also requires all regulatory and warning signs relating to the traffic diversion or temporary closure to comply with the manual on uniform traffic control devices; however, this bill does not apply to highways that are part of the national system of interstate and defense highways and other federally designated highways.
This bill provides that a motor vehicle operator who knowingly ignores a regulatory or warning sign posted pursuant to this bill and who drives into a lane or portion of a public road or highway designated for dropping off or picking up students commits a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by fine only of $50.
ON MARCH 18, 2024, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2771, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to allow a county or municipality to hire employees or appoint volunteers to direct traffic within a school zone, as described below.
This amendment authorizes a county or municipality to hire employees or appoint volunteers to direct vehicles, excluding emergency vehicles, on a public road or highway within a marked school zone for dropping off or picking up students at a public, private, or charter school within the jurisdiction of the county or municipality when a warning flasher or flashers are in operation and only during the period of time that is necessary for the convenience of dropping off or picking up students. The county or municipality must ensure that appropriate signage is posted in advance of the marked school zone informing drivers as to the dropping off or picking up of students at the approaching school zone. This amendment requires all regulatory and warning signs relating to the dropping off or picking up of students must comply with the manual on uniform traffic control devices (MUTCD).
This amendment requires the county or municipality to ensure that while an individual employed or appointed pursuant to the above provisions is performing the duties described in the above provisions, that the individual (i) is an adult who has received training and is qualified to comply with the MUTCD in their duties; (ii) wears high-visibility retroreflective safety apparel; and (iii) uses a STOP paddle that complies with the MUTCD.
This amendment does not apply to access-controlled roadways designated as being on the state system of highways and on roadways designated as being on the state system of interstate highways.
This amendment provides that a motor vehicle operator who knowingly ignores a regulatory or warning sign for the dropping off or picking up of students commits a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by fine only of $50.