School Bus Safety Act - Kadyn's Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to withhold 10% of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway funds if the state has not enacted and is not enforcing a law that imposes specified first offense and second offense civil and criminal penalties for motorists found guilty of illegally passing a stopped school bus.
Grants for Motion-Activated Detection System on School Buses Act - Authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to states to equip school buses with motion-activated detection systems.
Directs the Secretary to withhold 10% of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway funds if the state has not enacted a law that requires the employer to conduct background checks before hiring school bus drivers.
Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states to develop a school bus seat belt demonstration program to purchase type 1 school buses (weighing more than 10,000 pounds) equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts or equip such existing buses with such belts.
Directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to study the effects of illegal passing of school buses, including a pilot program demonstrating the effectiveness of additional technologies and equipment on the buses.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4595 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4595
To encourage school bus safety.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 7, 2014
Mr. Braley of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to
the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To encourage school bus safety.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``School Bus Safety Act''.
TITLE I--KADYN'S ACT
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as ``Kadyn's Act''.
SEC. 102. WITHHOLDING APPORTIONMENTS FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH SCHOOL BUS
PASSINGS.
(a) Withholding Apportionments.--Chapter 1 of title 23, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 171. Withholding apportionments for noncompliance with school
bus passings
``(a) Withholding of Apportionments for Noncompliance.--
``(1) Withholding.--The Secretary shall withhold 10 percent
of the amount required to be apportioned to any State under
paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of section 104(b) on October 1,
2015, and on each October 1 thereafter if the State does not
meet the requirements of paragraph (2).
``(2) Requirement.--A State meets the requirements of this
paragraph if the State has enacted and is enforcing a law that
imposes the following penalties to a motorist who is found
guilty of illegally passing a stopped school bus:
``(A) First offense.--For a first offense, a fine
of not less than $250 with the possibility of jail time
and license suspension.
``(B) Second offense within a 5-year period of a
first offense.--For a second offense within a 5-year
period of a first offense, a fine of not less than $315
with the possibility of jail time and license
suspension.
``(b) Period of Availability of Apportioned Funds.--Funds withheld
after the date specified in subsection (a)(1) from apportionments to
any State shall not be available for apportionment to that State and
such funds will lapse.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``171. Withholding apportionments for noncompliance with school bus
passings''.
TITLE II--GRANTS FOR MOTION-ACTIVATED DETECTION SYSTEM ON SCHOOL BUSES
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as ``Grants for Motion-Activated Detection
System on School Buses Act''.
SEC. 202. GRANTS FOR MOTION-ACTIVATED DETECTION SYSTEM ON SCHOOL BUSES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation may provide grants
to States to equip school buses with motion-activated detection system.
(b) Application.--In order to qualify for a grant under this
section, a State shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as
the Secretary may require, including--
(1) an assurance that the State will use grant funds to
purchase motion-activated detection systems for school buses;
and
(2) an assurance that the State is in compliance with
sections 171 and 172 of title 23, United States Code.
(c) Grant Amounts.--Before awarding a grant under this section, the
Secretary shall ensure that each grant award is of sufficient size and
scope to carry out the requirements of this section.
(d) Funding.--In order to fund grant awards under this section, the
Secretary shall use funds not apportioned pursuant to sections 171 and
172 of title 23, United States Code.
(e) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, the State shall submit a report to the Secretary regarding
the effectiveness of the motion-activated detection system in any local
educational agency using grant funds under this section, including--
(1) whether or not the detection system has prevented
children from being hit by a school bus; and
(2) a cost benefit analysis of using these detection
systems on school buses.
(f) Definition.--For purposes of this Act, the term ``motion-
activated detection system'' means a sensor system that uses radio
signals or radar waves to detect a moving target near the front, rear,
and sides of a school bus. The system sounds an alarm to alert the
driver when a moving target is detected within the specified danger
zones of the bus.
TITLE III--SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SAFETY ENFORCEMENT
SEC. 301. WITHHOLDING FOR NONCOMPLIANCE OF BACKGROUND CHECKS OF SCHOOL
BUS DRIVERS.
(a) Withholding Apportionments.--Chapter 1 of title 23, United
States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 172. Withholding apportionments for noncompliance of background
checks of school bus drivers
``(a) Withholding.--The Secretary shall withhold 10 percent of the
amount required to be apportioned to any State under paragraphs (1),
(3), and (4) of section 104(b) on October 1, 2015, and on each October
1 thereafter if the State does not meet the requirements of paragraph
(2).
``(b) Requirement.--A State meets the requirements of this
paragraph if the State has enacted a law that requires the employer to
conduct a background check before hiring a school bus driver. Such
background check shall include--
``(1) a review of State and local court information on
arrests, charges, convictions;
``(2) a review of any sex offender registry; and
``(3) a review of any child abuse or dependent adult abuse
registry.
``(c) Period of Availability of Apportioned Funds.--Funds withheld
after the date specified in subsection (a)(1) from apportionments to
any State shall not be available for apportionment to that State and
such funds will lapse.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23,
United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
``172. Withholding apportionments for noncompliance of background
checks of school bus drivers''.
TITLE IV--SCHOOL BUS SEAT BELT DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM
SEC. 401. SCHOOL BUS SEAT BELT DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation may award grants
to States to develop a school bus seat belt program to purchase type 1
school buses equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts or equip existing
type 1 school buses with lap/shoulder seat belts.
(b) Application.--In order to qualify for a grant under this
section, a State shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as
the Secretary may require, including--
(1) an assurance that the State will use grant funds to
purchase type I school buses with lap/shoulder seat belts or
equip existing type 1 school buses with such seat belts;
(2) an assurance that the State is in compliance with
sections 171 and 172 of title 23, United States Code; and
(3) a list of the local educational agencies which the
State selects to receive the seat belt equipped buses,
including the reasons why each agency should receive school
buses with seat belts.
(c) Local Educational Agency Requirements.--The State shall require
that any local educational agency that receives grant funds pursuant to
this Act shall develop--
(1) a plan to ensure that all students riding the school
buses with lap/shoulder belts are using them; and
(2) an educational program regarding seat belt safety.
(d) Grant Amounts.--Before awarding a grant under this section, the
Secretary shall ensure that each grant award is of sufficient size and
scope to carry out the requirements of this section.
(e) Funding.--In order to fund grant awards under this section, the
Secretary shall use funds not apportioned pursuant to sections 171 and
172 of title 23, United States Code.
(f) Definition.--In this section, the term ``type 1 school bus''
means a school bus weighing more than 10,000 pounds.
(g) Reporting.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the State shall submit a report to the Secretary regarding
the effectiveness of the lap/shoulder seat belt program in any local
educational agency using grant funds under this section, including--
(1) student usage of seat belts; and
(2) the impact on school bus seating capacity.
TITLE V--NHTSA STUDY
SEC. 501. NHTSA STUDY.
(a) In General.--The National Highway Traffic Safety Board shall
conduct a comprehensive study regarding the effects of illegal passing
of school buses.
(b) Study and Pilot Program.--The study shall include--
(1) a pilot program demonstrating the effectiveness of
additional technologies and equipment on school buses,
including additional front and rear stop arms, driver alert
devices, secondary warning signs and aids to general visibility
of buses;
(2) enforcement schemes, including camera systems and
increased fines on preventing, mitigating, and enforcing
against illegal passing of school buses;
(3) establishment and comparison of baseline performance
standards for existing school buses and operations that can be
measured and validated with school buses with additional
equipment, over a set period of time, in a broad geographic
area; and
(4) consideration of the impact of additional driver
training and a targeted public awareness and education campaign
on the prevention, mitigation, and enforcement of illegal
passing of school buses.
(c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Board shall submit a report to Congress with
the results of the study and make recommendations for changes to
Federal, State, and local laws and regulations to prevent, mitigate,
and better enforce illegal school bus passing laws.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
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