Committee hears bill to require violation-detection cameras on newly purchased school buses

Representative Murray, the sponsor, told the House Education Committee the bill would ‘‘require that statewide, all school buses newly purchased on or after July 1, 2027 shall be equipped with a live video school bus violation detection monitoring system.’’ He added the bill allows a phased-in window so that all buses in operation statewide would be equipped by July 1, 2032.

Witnesses who testified in favor included Paul McDonald of Teamsters Local 251 and Andy Andre (representing a school bus operator). McDonald said cameras are already used in many places and called the measure ‘‘long overdue,’’ telling the committee: "If 1 child gets hurt, it's 1 child too many." Andre said new buses already often include multiple cameras and that camera and monitoring hardware are commonly procured through vendors and can be incorporated into bus procurement specifications (RFPs).

Representative Kotel asked who would bear the costs. Murray said some districts (he cited Providence) contract with companies that install cameras and may share monitoring revenues; a single camera installation cost was estimated in testimony at roughly $1,100 per bus, with the camera element possibly around $500 of that figure.

Representative Roberts asked whether research shows the systems reduce injuries; Murray said he would try to provide that information to the committee. Stephen Brown of the ACLU of Rhode Island testified in writing and orally, urging two amendments: remove statutory language that would duplicate existing passing-bus prohibitions to avoid potential double fines, and delete a phrase that would allow cameras ‘‘at a minimum’’ to catch violations so the law cannot be read to permit broader, privacy-invasive imaging capabilities.

Committee members and witnesses discussed technical questions including where on the bus cameras would be mounted and whether internal cameras monitoring students are voluntary under current practice. Several witnesses said many newer buses carry multiple internal and external cameras, and that the current statute authorizing internal cameras is permissive rather than mandatory.

No vote on the substance of the bill was taken; the item was a committee hearing and the bill was later included among measures the committee moved to hold for further study.