BILL AS INTRODUCED H.732
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1 H.732
2 Introduced by Representatives LaBounty of Lyndon, Andriano of Orwell,
3 Anthony of Barre City, Berbeco of Winooski, Branagan of
4 Georgia, Campbell of St. Johnsbury, Chesnut-Tangerman of
5 Middletown Springs, Christie of Hartford, Farlice-Rubio of
6 Barnet, Goslant of Northfield, Hango of Berkshire, Hooper of
7 Burlington, Howard of Rutland City, Krasnow of South
8 Burlington, Labor of Morgan, Masland of Thetford, McFaun of
9 Barre Town, Oliver of Sheldon, Page of Newport City, Patt of
10 Worcester, Priestley of Bradford, Sammis of Castleton, Smith
11 of Derby, Waters Evans of Charlotte, and Williams of Granby
12 Referred to Committee on
13 Date:
14 Subject: Motor vehicles; school buses; stop-arm violations; traffic cameras
15 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require traffic
16 cameras on all Types I and II school buses and allow for the issuance of a civil
17 traffic violation for illegally passing a school bus based on an image of a
18 violation from a traffic camera on a school bus.
19 An act relating to traffic cameras and traffic violations for illegally passing
20 a school bus VT LEG #372262 v.2
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1 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
2 Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 4(44) is amended to read:
3 (44) “Moving violation” means any violation of any provision of this
4 title, while the motor vehicle is being operated on a public highway, over
5 which operation the operator has discretion as to commission of the act, except
6 for offenses pertaining to:
7 (A) a parked vehicle, equipment, size, weight, inspection, or
8 registration of the vehicle;
9 (B) child restraint or safety belt systems or seat belts as required in
10 section 1258 or 1259 of this title; or
11 (C) motorcycle headgear under section 1256 of this title; or
12 (D) passing a school bus under section 1075 of this title.
13 Sec. 2. 23 V.S.A. § 1075 is amended to read:
14 § 1075. PASSING SCHOOL BUS
15 (a) The operator of a motor vehicle, including authorized emergency
16 vehicles under section 1015 of this title, upon meeting or overtaking a vehicle
17 marked and equipped as provided in section 1283 of this title that has stopped
18 on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging public or private
19 schoolchildren, shall stop his or her the operator’s vehicle immediately and
20 shall keep it stationary while the flashing red signal lights are in operation.
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1 (b) The driver of a vehicle need not stop upon a highway with separate
2 roadways upon meeting or overtaking a school bus that is on a different
3 roadway, or upon a controlled access highway where the school bus is stopped
4 in a loading zone that is a part of or adjacent to the highway at a point where
5 pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.
6 (c) A law enforcement officer shall issue a Vermont Civil Violation
7 Complaint for a traffic violation for the violation of subsection (a) of this
8 section to the registered owner of a motor vehicle identified by number plate
9 within 10 days after a school bus operator attests in a writing made under the
10 penalty of perjury that the motor vehicle bearing that number plate passed a
11 stopped school bus in violation of subsection (a) of this section, provided that
12 the writing also includes the date, time, and location of the violation; the
13 writing is made within five days after the date of the violation; and one or more
14 images clearly showing the motor vehicle bearing that number plate passing a
15 stopped school bus in violation of subsection (a) of this section are attached to
16 the writing.
17 Sec. 3. 23 V.S.A. § 1283 is amended to read:
18 § 1283. IDENTIFICATION AND EQUIPMENT OF SCHOOL BUSES
19 (a) Types I and II school buses shall be:
20 ***
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1 (4) Equipped with a system of signal lamps approved by the
2 Commissioner, including an eight-light system on any new or used school bus
3 ordered on and after July 1, 1976. The driver of a Type I or a Type II school
4 bus shall keep the alternately flashing red signal lamps lighted whenever
5 school children are being received or discharged, and they shall be used only
6 for that purpose. A school bus driver found in violation of this subdivision
7 shall be guilty of a traffic violation.
8 ***
9 (6) Equipped with a live digital video school bus passing violation
10 detection monitoring system that:
11 (A) is operational whenever the school bus is on, even if the school
12 bus is idling;
13 (B) includes one or more camera sensors and computers that produce
14 live digital and recorded video images of motor vehicles operated in violation
15 of section 1075 of this title with the date, time, and location of the violation;
16 (C) only records images of the number plates of motor vehicles
17 operated in violation of section 1075 of this title and does not record images of
18 the occupants of motor vehicles or any other individuals; and
19 (D) only preserves video or images for up to 90 days, whether on the
20 monitoring system or otherwise, unless the school bus operator attests to a
21 violation under subsection 1075(c) of this title, in which case the video or
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1 image or images shall be preserved until the traffic violation is dismissed or the
2 applicable civil penalty is collected and then destroyed.
3 (7) In compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for
4 school buses as of the date of manufacture.
5 (b) Any school bus meeting the identification requirements of subdivisions
6 (a)(1)–(4) of this section that is permanently converted for use wholly for
7 purposes other than transporting pupils to or from school, or transporting
8 organized groups of preschool or school-age children, shall be painted a color
9 other than national school bus glossy yellow and shall have the stop arm, if
10 any, and equipment required by this section removed.
11 (c) Type I and Type II school buses being operated on a public highway
12 and transporting primarily passengers other than school pupils shall have the
13 words “School Bus” covered, removed, or otherwise concealed, and the stop
14 arms and equipment permitted by this section and section 1281a of this title
15 subchapter shall not be operable through the usual controls.
16 (d) No motor vehicle other than a school bus shall display the identifying
17 equipment and signs required by this section.
18 Sec. 4. 23 V.S.A. § 2502 is amended to read:
19 § 2502. POINT ASSESSMENT; SCHEDULE
20 (a) Unless the assessment of points is waived by a Superior judge or a
21 Judicial Bureau hearing officer in the interests of justice and in accordance VT LEG #372262 v.2
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1 with subsection 2501(b) of this title, a person operating a motor vehicle shall
2 have points assessed against his or her the person’s driving record for
3 convictions for moving violations of the indicated motor vehicle statutes in
4 accord with the following schedule: (All references are to this title of the
5 Vermont Statutes Annotated.)
6 ***
7 (4) Five points assessed for:
8 ***
9 (B) § 1075. Illegal passing of school bus; [Repealed.]
10 ***
11 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
12 This act shall take effect on August 1, 2025 and first apply to school buses
13 operated during the 2025–2026 school year.
VT LEG #372262 v.2
Statutes affected: As Introduced: 23-4(44), 23-4, 23-1075, 23-1283, 23-2502