On Thursday, December 21, the Assembly approved A-545 by a 69-2-2 vote. The bill permits municipalities and school districts to contract for the installation, operation, and maintenance of video school bus monitoring systems on their school buses to assist in the enforcement of the law prohibiting the passing a bus with flashing red lights. The monitoring system should be capable of capturing and producing video recordings and high-resolution color digital recordings that indicate a flashing light and crossing arm of a school bus, if a motor vehicle passes a bus while flashing lights, and the rear image of the vehicle clearly revealing license plate, make, and model.
Such recordings must be made available to local police to review the images and issue a summons if appropriate. The bill also increases the penalties for the unlawful passing of a school bus, providing that violators would be subject to a fine of not less than $250 or more than $500 and be assigned community service for no more than 15 days, as deemed appropriate by the court. Currently, a first-time offender is subject to a fine of $100 and up to 15 days of imprisonment or community service. For a second, or subsequent, violation, a violator is subject to a fine of not less than $250 and imprisonment for a term of not more than 15 days.
The bill would take effect on the 1st day of the seventh month.
The League of Municipalities supports this legislation as it provides a valuable tool for law enforcement to protect our children.
Contact: Andrew LaFevre, Legislative Analyst, alafevre@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x116.