STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
With the first day of school two weeks away in Barren County, a new state law changes how drivers must behave around stopped school and church buses and increases the penalties if they do not comply.
House Bill 7 took effect July 15 and it increases penalties for drivers who do not stop of buses, and it allows districts to install cameras on school bus stop signs. The camera monitoring systems on their buses help enforce civil penalties against vehicle owners who commit what the law calls “stop arm camera violations.”
Those systems can record images, along with the activation status of the stop arm and the time, date and location of the bus when a possible violation occurs. If the images show a motorist illegally passing a bus with its stop arm and signal lights activated, the district can issue a civil penalty notice to the vehicle’s owner.
The law states that recorded images must be destroyed within 31 days if they do not result in a violation notice, or after the case is resolved if they do lead to a citation.
For drivers who want to contest a stop arm camera violation, the law sets up a process in District Court. It outlines defenses that can be raised, including stolen vehicles or plates, situations where the stop arm was not activated, emergencies such as allowing an emergency vehicle to pass, or funeral processions.
The legislation also creates a path for enforcement if civil penalties are ignored.
If a stop arm camera violation is not paid or contested within 60 days, the enforcing agency may notify the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, which is then required to send a suspension notice and suspend the vehicle’s registration until the penalty is paid.
House Bill 7 amends existing statutes to make clear that when a school or church bus is stopped on a highway with its stop arm and lights activated, drivers approaching from any direction must stop and cannot proceed until the bus moves again.
The only exception is for vehicles approaching from the opposite direction on a highway of four or more lanes that is divided by an elevated barrier or unpaved median.
The law also increases the criminal penalties for violating the bus-passing statute.
For a first offense, drivers face a higher minimum and maximum fine, along with a possible jail sentence.
Repeat offenses within three years can bring even steeper fines and longer potential jail terms, and at least six points must be added to the driver’s record for each conviction.
Key Facts
– Kentucky House Bill 7 took effect July 15
– Law allows school districts to install stop arm cameras on buses
– Cameras capture violations and can trigger civil penalties to vehicle owners
– Drivers must stop for buses from any direction on most multi-lane roads
– Exception applies only on highways divided by an elevated barrier or unpaved median
– Criminal fines and possible jail time increase for repeat bus-passing offenses
– Civil penalties can lead to suspension of vehicle registration if unpaid
