JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The House Special Committee on Urban Issues heard testimony on a bill that would allow schools to partner with private companies to provide a “crossing control arm enforcement system” — essentially a camera that would record when a motor vehicle violates the law by passing by a school bus that is stopped and unloading children.
“It’s a bill designed to protect the children in our state,” Rep. Ron Hicks, the bill’s sponsor, told The Missouri Times.
Under the legislation, a school bus would be outfitted with technology that would start recording when a bus is stopped and has its stop sign deployed. If a vehicle drives past the school bus, the camera would capture a video of the license plate of the car which would be sent to law enforcement.
BusPatrol is one company that provides the type of technology that could outfit busses in Missouri if the bill passes.
“With these important legislative changes, we can change the driving culture around school buses and help safeguard their precious cargo,” BusPatrol CEO Jean Souliere told The Missouri Times.
- Businesses that provide these enforcement systems would handle sending the citation to law enforcement.
- The civil penalty for a violation detected by a crossing control arm enforcement system is $300, which would be distributed to the school district.
- No witnesses testified against the bill.
- The bill, HB 1425, will need to be voted on by the committee before it can advance to the House floor.
Conner Kerrigan is a writer and communications professional who lives in Columbia. He joined The Missouri Times team as the business manager in late 2020. Originally from Chicago, Conner is a graduate of Millikin University in Decatur.
Contact Conner at conner@themissouritimes.com.
