CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5891
Chapter 302, Laws of 2024
68th Legislature
2024 Regular Session
SCHOOL BUS TRESPASS
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 6, 2024
Passed by the Senate March 4, 2024 CERTIFICATE
Yeas 49 Nays 0
I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of
the Senate of the State of
DENNY HECK Washington, do hereby certify that
President of the Senate the attached is ENGROSSED
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5891 as
passed by the Senate and the House
of Representatives on the dates
Passed by the House February 27, 2024 hereon set forth.
Yeas 94 Nays 0
SARAH BANNISTER
LAURIE JINKINS
Secretary
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
Approved March 26, 2024 1:54 PM FILED
March 27, 2024
Secretary of State
JAY INSLEE State of Washington
Governor of the State of Washington
 ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5891
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
Passed Legislature - 2024 Regular Session
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By Senate Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Boehnke,
Lovick, Keiser, Liias, Mullet, Torres, Wagoner, Warnick, C. Wilson,
and J. Wilson)
READ FIRST TIME 01/26/24.
1 AN ACT Relating to protecting the safety and security of students
2 and maintaining order within school buses by designating trespassing
3 on a school bus as a criminal offense; adding a new section to
4 chapter 9A.52 RCW; creating a new section; and prescribing penalties.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
6 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. This act may be known and cited as the
7 Richard Lenhart act.
8 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 9A.52
9 RCW to read as follows:
10 (1) A person is guilty of school bus trespass if he or she
11 knowingly and maliciously:
12 (a) Enters or remains unlawfully in a school bus;
13 (b) Does any other act that creates a substantial risk of harm to
14 passengers or the driver; and
15 (c) Causes a substantial interruption or impairment to services
16 rendered by the school bus.
17 (2) As used in this section, "school bus" means any vehicle
18 owned, leased, or operated by a public school district, a religious
19 or private school, a private entity contracted with a school
p. 1 ESSB 5891.SL
 1 district, or educational institution for the purpose of transporting
2 students to and from school or school-related activities.
3 (3) School bus trespass is a gross misdemeanor.
4 (4) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any of the
5 following:
6 (a) Students enrolled in the school which is being serviced by
7 the school bus;
8 (b) Law enforcement officers or other authorized personnel
9 engaged in the performance of their official duties;
10 (c) Individuals with written consent from the school district or
11 educational institution allowing them to enter or remain on the
12 school bus; and
13 (d) Emergency situations where entering the bus is necessary to
14 protect the safety or well-being of students or others.
15 (5) Local law enforcement agencies shall have the authority to
16 enforce the provisions of this act. School districts and educational
17 institutions shall collaborate with local law enforcement to
18 establish protocols and procedures to ensure effective enforcement of
19 this act.
20 (6) School districts and educational institutions shall implement
21 educational programs and awareness campaigns to educate students,
22 parents, and the community about the importance of maintaining safety
23 and security on school buses. These educational programs shall
24 emphasize the potential consequences of school bus trespassing in
25 accordance with this act.
26 (7) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this
27 specific purpose, school districts and educational institutions shall
28 affix placards warning of the consequences of violating subsection
29 (1) of this section on the outside of all public school buses in a
30 manner easily visible for all to see.
31 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. If any provision of this act or its
32 application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
33 remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
34 persons or circumstances is not affected.
Passed by the Senate March 4, 2024.
Passed by the House February 27, 2024.
Approved by the Governor March 26, 2024.
Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 27, 2024.
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