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Substitute gives judges discretion to limit 'compensatory service' in school‑zone speeding cases
Summary
A first substitute to HB 178 changes the court’s duty from a mandatory 'shall' to a discretionary 'may' when ordering compensatory service (standing with a crossing guard) for school‑zone speeding; sponsors said the change protects crossing‑guard safety and reduces administrative burdens on officers.
Representative Moss told the committee that courts have increasingly ordered offenders to perform 'compensatory service'—standing with a school crossing guard—in lower‑level school‑zone speeding cases, and that the practice has sometimes distracted and burdened crossing guards and local officers.
Her substitute changes the statute so a court may order compensatory service only after coordination with the local school and law‑enforcement agency and generally limits the sanction to more egregious cases. Sponsor and law‑enforcement witnesses said the change preserves school‑zone safety while avoiding instances where unvetted individuals are placed near children or where officers must be diverted from other duties.
A technical house amendment removed an obsolete phrase tied to bail forfeiture; the committee adopted the amendment and passed the substitute with a favorable recommendation by unanimous voice vote.
