Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2298 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	86R16357 AJZ-D
2	2	By: Powell S.B. No. 2298
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to school safety measures, including the authority of a
8	8	school district to implement a school bus monitoring system that
9	9	records images of vehicles that pass a stopped school bus;
10	10	authorizing a civil penalty; imposing a surcharge.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Section 29.924 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 29.924. SCHOOL SAFETY GRANTS. (a) The commissioner
15	15	shall establish a competitive grant program to assist school
16	16	districts in implementing school safety measures.
17	17	(b) Grant funds awarded under this section may be used by a
18	18	grant recipient only to implement school safety measures.
19	19	(c) The commissioner may adopt rules on the use of grant
20	20	funds under this section, including rules determining eligibility,
21	21	award amount, and any restrictions. The commissioner may authorize
22	22	a grant recipient or a tax-exempt organization contracting with the
23	23	grant recipient to use grant funds for installing school bus
24	24	monitoring systems on school buses as authorized by Subchapter K,
25	25	Chapter 545, Transportation Code.
26	26	(d) In selecting grant recipients under this section, the
27	27	commissioner must consider the availability of existing resources,
28	28	including funds and equipment, to the school district.
29	29	(e) The commissioner may make grants under this section
30	30	using revenue from surcharges imposed under Section 545.502(b),
31	31	Transportation Code, and gifts, grants, and donations accepted by
32	32	the commissioner. A decision of the commissioner concerning the
33	33	amount of funds available for a grant is final and may not be
34	34	appealed.
35	35	SECTION 2. Chapter 545, Transportation Code, is amended by
36	36	adding Subchapter K to read as follows:
37	37	SUBCHAPTER K. SCHOOL BUS MONITORING SYSTEM
38	38	Sec. 545.501. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
39	39	(1) "Owner of a motor vehicle" means the owner of a
40	40	motor vehicle as shown on the motor vehicle registration records of
41	41	the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles or the analogous department
42	42	or agency of another state or country.
43	43	(2) "School bus monitoring system" means a system
44	44	authorized by Section 547.701(b)(3).
45	45	Sec. 545.502. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE FOR PENALTY. (a) The
46	46	board of trustees of a school district by resolution may provide
47	47	that the owner of a motor vehicle is liable to the school district
48	48	for a civil penalty if the vehicle passes a school bus in violation
49	49	of Section 545.066. The resolution must establish the amount of the
50	50	civil penalty.
51	51	(b) A school district may impose a civil penalty under this
52	52	section on the owner of a motor vehicle based solely on a
53	53	photographic image of the vehicle that:
54	54	(1) was taken by a camera installed on the school bus
55	55	for the purpose of detecting violations of Section 545.066;
56	56	(2) includes the vehicle's license plate; and
57	57	(3) shows the vehicle violating Section 545.066.
58	58	(c) If a school district imposes a civil penalty under
59	59	Subsection (b), the school district shall also impose a $25
60	60	surcharge on each civil penalty. A surcharge collected under this
61	61	subsection shall be sent to the Texas Education Agency and may be
62	62	used only for the competitive grant program established under
63	63	Section 29.924, Education Code.
64	64	(d) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a school district
65	65	is entitled to all of the proceeds of the civil penalties collected
66	66	by the school district under this section.
67	67	(e) Civil penalties collected under this section may be used
68	68	by a school district to cover the cost of installing, operating, and
69	69	maintaining the school bus monitoring system.
70	70	Sec. 545.503. OPERATION OF SCHOOL BUS MONITORING SYSTEM.
71	71	(a) A school district that implements a school bus monitoring
72	72	system under this subchapter may contract for the installation,
73	73	operation, administration, or enforcement of the system.
74	74	(b) All images and data produced from a school bus
75	75	monitoring system under this subchapter shall be destroyed not
76	76	later than the seventh day after the date of collection unless the
77	77	image or data is evidence in a civil proceeding under this
78	78	subchapter. Images or data used in a civil proceeding under this
79	79	subchapter shall be destroyed not later than the first anniversary
80	80	of the date of collection.
81	81	SECTION 3. Section 547.701(b), Transportation Code, is
82	82	amended to read as follows:
83	83	(b) A school bus may be equipped with:
84	84	(1) rooftop warning lamps:
85	85	(A) that conform to and are placed on the bus in
86	86	accordance with specifications adopted under Section 34.002,
87	87	Education Code; and
88	88	(B) that are operated under rules adopted by the
89	89	school district; [and]
90	90	(2) movable stop arms:
91	91	(A) that conform to regulations adopted under
92	92	Section 34.002, Education Code; and
93	93	(B) that may be operated only when the bus is
94	94	stopped to load or unload students; and
95	95	(3) a monitoring system that:
96	96	(A) is capable of taking photographic,
97	97	electronic, video, or digital images of vehicles that pass the bus
98	98	for the purpose of detecting violations of Section 545.066;
99	99	(B) conforms to regulations adopted under
100	100	Section 34.002, Education Code; and
101	101	(C) may be operated only when the bus is stopped
102	102	on a highway to load or unload students.
103	103	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.