HB 1279 - AS INTRODUCED
2000 SESSION
HOUSE BILL 1279
AN ACT relative to the applicability of school bus safety laws.
SPONSORS: Rep. Daniels, Hills 13
This bill changes the definition of school bus to include those vehicles used to transport children to or from after school programs or other purposes not strictly related to school activities, and broadens the scope of required uses of school bus safety equipment.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
00-2122
05/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand
AN ACT relative to the applicability of school bus safety laws.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Vehicles Used to Transport Children. Amend RSA 259:96 to read as follows:
259:96 School Bus. "School bus" shall mean a vehicle owned by a public or governmental agency, or a privately owned vehicle, including a station wagon, suburban, panel body vehicle and vehicles converted to a school bus, but excluding a passenger vehicle, employed [solely] in transporting school children to and from school or school activities by virtue of a contract with a municipality, municipal board or school board authorities, as well as those vehicles used to transport children to or from after school programs or other purposes not strictly related to school activities.
2 Use of Safety Equipment. Amend RSA 265:57 to read as follows:
265:57 Driving of School Buses. When taking on or discharging [school children] passengers, the school bus shall be stopped on the extreme right of the highway. A school bus shall be stopped completely off the highway if facilities and stopping areas are available. The driver of a school bus, in bringing his or her bus to a stop to receive or discharge [pupils] passengers, shall come to a stop in a place on the highway or shoulder where the flashing red warning stop lights are clearly visible to the driver of an overtaking or oncoming vehicle. The school bus driver shall not open the door or cause the flashing red warning stop lights to be in operation until all vehicles overtaking said bus at the time it comes to a halt shall have either passed the bus or stopped. Common sense and good judgment should be used in all cases when the flashing red warning stop lights are to be in operation. If the driver of a school bus intends to remain stationary for an extended period of time, he or she shall switch off the flashing red warning stop lights so that traffic may proceed safely and legally by the school bus. A school bus driver shall not actuate flashing red signal lights in designated school bus loading areas if the bus is entirely off the roadway.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.