The bill amends West Virginia's Code to enhance school bus safety by introducing stricter penalties for violations related to passing stopped school buses. It establishes a new offense, "aggravated illegal passing of a stopped school bus," which applies when a driver fails to stop for a school bus displaying activated stop signals under certain aggravating circumstances, such as exceeding the speed limit or passing on the side where children are present. Penalties for this offense include fines ranging from $1,500 to $4,500 and potential jail time, with repeat offenders facing felony charges. Additionally, the bill allows video footage from school bus cameras capturing violations to be sent directly to law enforcement for citation purposes.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that individuals convicted of violations under the new sections must complete a school bus safety and driver education course as a condition for reinstating their driving privileges. The legislation aims to improve compliance with school bus safety laws and protect children during school transportation. The new provisions will take effect 90 days after passage, which is set for June 12, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 17C-12-7, 17C-12-7a, 17C-12-7b, 17C-12-7c, 17C-12-7d
Committee Substitute: 17C-12-7b, 17C-12-7c, 17C-12-7d
Enrolled Committee Substitute: 17C-12-7, 17C-12-7b, 17C-12-7c