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Bill would impose penalties for illegally passing stopped school buses
KEITH ARNOLD
Special to the Legal News
Published: March 31, 2025
A bipartisan bill that incorporates and builds upon the recommendations of Gov. Mike DeWine’s School Bus Safety Working Group recently debuted in the Transportation Committee of the Ohio House of Representatives.
House Bill 3, dubbed the School Bus Safety Act, is a comprehensive and carefully considered bill focused on advancing school bus safety statewide, according to Springfield Rep. Bernie Willis, a Republican joint sponsor of the measure.
“Significant changes have been made to the initial draft, and I am pleased to say that this legislation is now in a great state thanks to the result of listening to the voices from constituents and organizations alike across the state,” he said during the committee hearing.
HB 3 would encompass driver penalties for illegally passing a stopped school bus, use of school bus cameras to corroborate such violations, public education and establishment of a fund and grant program to administer collected fines and fund the related programs.
“Offenders will face a minimum fine of $250,” Willis said. “However, for first-time offenders, judges will have the discretion to offer an educational course in place of the points (added to their licenses) and a reduced fine of $150––reflecting both the seriousness of the offense and a path for reform.”
According to analysis of HB 3, all repeat offenders must attend and successfully complete a school bus safety course developed by the state Public Safety director.
HB 3 would authorize installation and use of school bus camera equipment enabled to capture an image, images or video solely for purposes of recording violations of illegally passing a stopped school bus.
According to the bill, captured images or video from the on-board equipment may be used to corroborate a school bus driver’s report of a probable violation.
HB 3, however, explicitly would prohibit a law enforcement agency from issuing a citation for illegally passing a stopped school bus based solely on an image, images or video captured by a school bus camera.
“Finally, we have proposed an appropriation of $25 million to fund this legislation, supporting districts in making these critical safety updates,” Willis said.
The funding would be transferred from the state’s General Revenue Fund and appropriated for the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years.
In addition to funding the purchase and installation of external cameras, the School Bus Safety Grants would cover installation of:
• Crossing arms;
• Lane departure warning systems;
• Lighted crossover mirrors;
• Colorado rack test-approved bus frames;
• Fully-illuminated stop arms located at the front and rear of the school bus;
• Fully-illuminated “school bus” signs;
• Collision avoidance systems;
• Light-emitting diode lights;
• Ground wash lights;
• Reflective chevrons;
• Seat belts; and
• Any additional safety features that become available through advancements in technology that are approved by the departments of Public Safety and Education and Workforce.
“HB 3 does more than adopt the recommendations of the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group; it builds on those recommendations to create a comprehensive framework for safety that we, as a state, can stand behind with confidence,” said joint sponsor Rep. Cecil Thomas, a Cincinnati Democrat. “This legislation acknowledges that safety is not negotiable, and it sends a clear message: We will not tolerate unsafe driving near school buses.”
DeWine formed the working group in 2023 in response to a fatal school bus crash that claimed the life of a Clark County elementary school student.
Fourteen House members co-sponsor HB 3, which awaits further consideration by the committee.
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