Committee advances bill to let school districts use stop‑arm cameras to deter illegal passing

The Kentucky Senate Committee on Transportation reported favorably on Senate Bill 38, a permissive measure that would allow school districts to equip buses with stop‑arm camera systems to document and pursue penalties for motorists who illegally pass stopped school buses.

Senator Greg Elkins, sponsor of SB 38, told the committee that a one‑day survey of 1,491 Kentucky school buses in April 2024 recorded 489 illegal passings; he said that, extrapolated to the state’s roughly 8,800 buses, that would equate to about 2,886 illegal passings per day. Elkins said that in 2023 law enforcement issued 361 citations statewide for stop‑arm violations and that only 151 motorists were fined.

“Rather than having the district bear the cost of those cameras, they would be funded by the violators,” Elkins said, describing the bill as vendor‑neutral and voluntary. Under the measure, school districts are not required to install cameras; districts that do install stop‑arm systems may use vendor‑provided equipment and would receive revenues from fines to cover program costs, with a $25 fee to local law enforcement for ticket review and remaining funds retained by the district and court system as specified by the bill. The bill explicitly provides an appeals process to district court and includes defenses for motorists.

Representative David Hale, who joined the sponsor at the committee, said the measure aims to protect students during the most hazardous parts of their day when boarding and leaving school buses. “I think it is an incredible good piece of legislation that is hopefully going to protect the most vulnerable of our population,” Hale said.

Committee members did not record further questions in the transcript. The committee approved a committee substitute and by roll call reported SB 38 favorably with the expression of opinion that it should pass. Recorded aye votes included Senators Chambers Armstrong, Berg, Carpenter, Douglas, Elkins, Smith, Storm, Williams and others; the clerk’s roll call concluded with the chair announcing the bill reported favorably.

The bill is permissive and does not compel districts to adopt camera systems; it sets procedures for vendor neutrality, an appeals process in district court, and local retention of most revenues from fines (with the specified small fee to law enforcement).