By Bob Katzen

Gov. Healey signed into law legislation that will allow cities and towns to use cameras, installed on school buses, to identify and record vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses. The measure does not change the current fines for these violations. The fines would remain at $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense, and $1,000 for a third and subsequent offense. The bill also prohibits these violations caught on camera from being considered “moving violations” that would raise a diver’s insurance premiums.

“As a dedicated advocate for schoolchildren and improved traffic safety, I was honored to have [the bill] which I sponsored, signed into law,” said Rep. Paul Donato (D-Medford) who sponsored an earlier version of the measure. “This bill gives school districts the opportunity to add cameras to school buses that will allow municipalities to ticket drivers for dangerous maneuvers. Children around the commonwealth will be further protected by this law while they are riding the bus.”
“With the signing of this bill, we are taking a big step toward safer streets and more local control for communities across the commonwealth,” said Sen. Michael Moore (D-Millbury), also a sponsor of an earlier version of the bill. “Passing a stopped school bus endangers our children and is against the law. In cities and towns that choose to use them, school bus mounted traffic safety cameras will help apply the law to those who violate it evenly and without bias. I’m thrilled that Massachusetts has joined over half of U.S. states in legalizing this type of automated traffic enforcement. I look forward to continuing our work to make our roads safer for all in the new legislative term.”