COLUMBUS, Ohio — State Senator Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, on Tuesday introduced the School Bus
Safety Act, legislation raising additional awareness to the dangerous consequences of drivers ignoring
the flashing lights of a stopped school bus.
Senate Bill 23 creates a $300 civil penalty for drivers who are caught illegally passing a school bus. Of
these funds, $250 would be issued to the school district, $25 would be issued to local law enforcement
and $25 would go to the School Bus Safety and Education Fund, a newly created fund through the Ohio
Treasurer. The fund is intended to enhance school bus safety and raise public awareness of the laws
governing school bus safety.
The bill would allow for a clear image, images or video to be used to identify a driver illegally passing
a school bus, or the license plate for the purposes of issuing a citation.
“No parent should have to worry about their child’s safety when getting on or off of a school bus,”
Gavarone said. “Cameras have proven to be effective at combatting the issue of illegally passing school
buses, but the cost of installation and maintenance is prohibitive for many school districts. That is
why I am proud to introduce this bill, the first of its kind in Ohio, that would give every school
district the opportunity to equip cameras to their entire fleet of school buses without a single dime of
taxpayer funds.”
The legislation also designates August as School Bus Safety Awareness Month.
Senate Bill 23 was referred to the Veterans and Public Safety Committee for consideration.
