Enact the School Bus Safety Act
Legislative Analysis Report Enact the School Bus Safety Act
1. Primary Purpose of the Bill
The School Bus Safety Act aims to protect school children by strengthening penalties for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses and establishing a state-funded grant program to help school districts upgrade bus safety equipment. The bill creates a dedicated School Bus Safety Fund, supported by a $25 million annual transfer from the state's General Revenue Fund and collected traffic fines, to pay for safety features like external cameras, seat belts, and warning systems, while also launching public safety awareness campaigns.
EducationTransportationLaw Enforcement
2. Changes to Existing Law
ORC Sec. 5.501 Designates the month of August as 'School Bus Safety Awareness Month' to educate the public on stopping for school buses.
ORC Sec. 3327.18 Creates the School Bus Safety Fund in the state treasury to fund school bus safety grants and public education campaigns.
ORC Sec. 3327.19 Establishes a grant program for school districts and educational service centers to buy, install, or replace school bus safety features, requiring the grant money to be spent within two years.
ORC Sec. 4503.03 Requires all deputy registrars and driver examination offices to display signs instructing drivers to stop for school buses, and requires the graphic to be posted on the Bureau of Motor Vehicles website.
ORC Sec. 4510.036 Adds driver's license points for illegally passing a stopped school bus, penalizing drivers with 2 points for a first offense and 4 points for repeat offenses within five years.
ORC Sec. 4511.75 Increases fines for passing a stopped school bus, mandates in-person court appearances, allows courts to suspend driver's licenses, and directs all collected fines to the School Bus Safety Fund.
ORC Sec. 4511.751 Allows school bus camera footage to be used to back up reports of drivers passing stopped buses, but prohibits police from issuing tickets based solely on camera footage.
ORC Sec. 4511.76 Directs state departments to educate the public on bus safety, sets rules for bus cameras, and increases the maximum passenger capacity for alternative student transport vehicles from 9 to 10.
3. Key Information for Citizens
🗳️ What You Need to Know
- Drivers must stop at least 10 feet away from a stopped school bus that is loading or unloading passengers and cannot proceed until the bus moves or a driver or officer signals them to go.
- If you are ticketed for passing a stopped school bus, you cannot simply pay the fine online or by mail; you must appear in court in person.
- Fines for passing a stopped school bus are increased to a range of $250 to $1,000 for a first offense, and up to $2,000 for repeat offenses.
- First-time offenders can have their fine reduced to $150 and avoid points on their license if they complete an approved school bus safety course.
- School bus camera footage can be used to help identify and prosecute drivers, but a ticket cannot be issued based on camera footage alone.
4. Entities Affected
- Ohio drivers
- School districts and educational service centers
- School bus operators
- Parents and school children
- Deputy registrars and driver examination offices
- Law enforcement agencies and local courts
5. Regulatory Impact & Enforcement
Agency Authority: The Department of Education and Workforce is authorized to administer the School Bus Safety Grant Program. The Department of Public Safety, in coordination with the Department of Education and Workforce, is authorized to establish rules for school bus safety equipment, including cameras, and to develop public education campaigns.
Penalties & Mandates: Passing a stopped school bus is classified as an unclassified misdemeanor. First-time offenders face a fine between $250 and $1,000, plus 2 points on their license and a potential license suspension. Repeat offenders within five years face a fine between $350 and $2,000, 4 points on their license, a mandatory license suspension, and a mandatory school bus safety course. Offenders must appear in court in person.
Implementation Timeline: Not applicable
6. Estimated Fiscal Impact
State Revenue Impact
+$25,000,000 per year transferred from the General Revenue Fund to the School Bus Safety Fund, plus additional revenue from increased traffic fines.
Local Government Impact
Local school districts and educational service centers can receive state grants to purchase and install school bus safety features.
Implementation Costs
$25,000,000 per year appropriated for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with up to $100,000 per year allowed for administrative costs of the Department of Education and Workforce.
Net Annual Fiscal Effect
Net zero state budget impact as the $25,000,000 is transferred from the General Revenue Fund to a dedicated safety fund, though local school districts will see a net positive financial benefit from grant funding.
Policy doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Meet the representatives and senators who introduced this bill and are pushing it through the chamber. Click on any sponsor to see their district, party affiliation, and what other legislation they’ve championed this session.
Primary Sponsors
Cecil Thomas
District
25
Chamber
House of Representatives
Party
Democrat
Bernard Willis
District
74
Chamber
House of Representatives
Party
Republican
Co-Sponsors
Related Topics
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Most legislative decisions are made in committee rooms, not on the chamber floor. Here, you can track which committees have been assigned to review, amend, or report on this bill. Stay informed on where the bill is currently being debated and which chairpersons hold the power to move it forward.
Status Changes
Legislation moves through a rigorous series of checkpoints. Use this tracker to see exactly which phase the bill is in—whether it’s currently under committee review, up for a floor vote, or awaiting a signature to become law. For more information about bills, please see How a Bill Becomes Law.
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Referred to committee
Jan 28 2025
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Reported - Substitute - Re-referred to Rules and Reference
Apr 30 2025
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Reported - Re-referred to Finance
May 07 2025
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Reported - Substitute
May 27 2025
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Referred to committee
Nov 19 2025
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Reported - Substitute
Jun 10 2026
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Documents
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