H.B. 406

             1     

SCHOOL BUS TRAFFIC SAFETY AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Tim M. Cosgrove

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies the Traffic Code by establishing provisions relating to motor vehicles
             10      passing a school bus.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    allows school districts to contract for technology, applied to the exterior of a school
             14      bus, that produces an image of any motor vehicle that passes a school bus in
             15      violation of state law;
             16          .    requires that the technology transmit to the local law enforcement agency having
             17      jurisdiction in the location where the violation occurred an image of the motor
             18      vehicle taken at the time of the violation;
             19          .    allows the local law enforcement agency, upon receipt of the image, to conduct, in
             20      its discretion, an investigation of the violation;
             21          .    imposes certain requirements if a law enforcement agency exercises its discretion to
             22      issue a citation based on the recorded image; and
             23          .    requires that, not less than 30 days prior to commencing the use of this technology
             24      on one or more of its school buses, a school district shall send a notice to all
             25      households within the school district boundaries containing:
             26              .    a description of the technology and its purpose; and
             27              .    the date that the school district shall begin using the technology.


             28      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             29          None
             30      Other Special Clauses:
             31          None
             32      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             33      ENACTS:
             34           41-6a-1303.5 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             35     
             36      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             37          Section 1. Section 41-6a-1303.5 is enacted to read:
             38          41-6a-1303.5. Districts may contract for technology to identify motor vehicles
             39      illegally passing a school bus.
             40          (1) A school district may contract in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 6a, Utah
             41      Procurement Code, with a photographic technology provider for the delivery of a device
             42      capable of creating a recorded image of any motor vehicle passing a school bus in violation of
             43      Subsection 41-6a-1302 (2)(b).
             44          (2) The photographic technology described in Subsection (1) shall:
             45          (a) be mounted on the outside of a school bus;
             46          (b) produce a recorded image:
             47          (i) of a motor vehicle that passes a school bus at the time that the school bus's red
             48      signal lights are activated; and
             49          (ii) that includes the following clearly visible information:
             50          (A) the license plate, including the plate number and state of origin;
             51          (B) the date and time that the recorded image was created; and
             52          (C) the location of the school bus at the time the recorded image was created; and
             53          (c) transmit a copy of a recorded image described in Subsection (1) to the law
             54      enforcement agency having jurisdiction at the location where the photographic technology
             55      records the image.
             56          (3) A law enforcement agency that receives a recorded image in accordance with
             57      Subsections (2)(b) and (c) may, in its discretion, conduct an investigation.
             58          (4) A law enforcement agency may only issue a citation for a violation based on the


             59      recorded image produced under Subsection (2) if:
             60          (a) the citation is accompanied by the recorded image produced by photographic
             61      technology; and
             62          (b) the law enforcement agency:
             63          (i) provides a clear and simple process for dismissing a citation issued under this
             64      section if either the recorded image or evidence provided by the owner of the vehicle clearly
             65      proves that the registered owner was not operating the vehicle at the time the citation was
             66      issued; and
             67          (ii) ensures, through written policy, the following:
             68          (A) a recipient of a citation is entitled to the same rights and obligations regarding
             69      appeal and dismissal of citations as otherwise provided for citations issued under this chapter
             70      including the right to challenge a citation; and
             71          (B) a citation issued under this section is issued according to the same guidelines that
             72      an officer would apply when determining whether or not to issue a citation for a violation
             73      under this chapter.
             74          (5) A school bus equipped with the photographic technology described in this section
             75      shall have a sign posted on the outside of the bus indicating that the school bus is equipped
             76      with an automated red light signal compliance system.
             77          (6) Not less than 30 days prior to utilizing the technology described in Subsection (1)
             78      on one or more school buses, a school district shall send a notice to each household within the
             79      school district's boundaries containing:
             80          (a) a description of the photographic technology and its purpose; and
             81          (b) the date that the school district will begin using the technology.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-25-14 8:17 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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