A bill seeking to clarify stopping restrictions and add cameras to school busses advances from committee Monday.
If passed into law, school busses could use cameras to record and identify drivers who ignore bus stop signs.
Failing to stop is a class 1 misdemeanor, but advocates say it’s often hard to catch perpetrators.
Chamberlain schools superintendent Justin Zajic said he’s seen this challenge firsthand in his area.
“This fall, our district had nine serious violations in as many weeks," Zajic said. "In the Chamberlain School District, many of these violations occur on highways with speed limits of 65 miles per hour. Law enforcement is not able to issue a citation unless the witness the incident. In rural South Dakota, locating these vehicles on bus routes that span over 100 miles is not realistic.”
The proposal was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee. It next heads to the House floor.