Overview
- The law took effect Wednesday and now requires drivers to stop for any school or church bus with red lights flashing and a stop arm extended on most roadways.
- The previous rule that applied only to two-lane roads was broadened while keeping a narrow divided-highway exception for roads separated by a raised barrier or unpaved median.
- House Bill 7 authorizes bus-mounted stop-arm cameras that can capture a vehicle's license plate, time, date and location to document violations.
- Civil penalties are set at $300 for a first violation and $500 for repeat offenses within three years, with police review of camera footage and a 60-day appeal window for drivers.
- District readiness varies as schools prepare for fall; some systems like Hardin County already have cameras on most buses while larger districts such as JCPS are still choosing vendors, and collected fines remain with the district operating the cameras.