SCHOOL BUS VISIBILITY H.B. 5581 (H-3): FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 5581 (Substitute H-3 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Rick Jones
House Committee: Transportation
Senate Committee: Transportation
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Pupil Transportation Act to revise the standard by which a school bus is considered "clearly and continuously visible" with regard to procedures for receiving or discharging pupils.
Under the Act, when using the alternately flashing overhead red lights, a school bus driver may not stop on any highway or roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging pupils under the following circumstances:
-- The speed limit is more than 35 miles per hour and the stopped bus is not clearly and continuously visible to approaching vehicles for at least 400 feet.
-- The speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less and the stopped bus is not clearly and continuously visible to approaching vehicles for at least 200 feet.
A school bus is considered clearly and continuously visible if approaching traffic is able to see the entire width of the front and back of the bus from a horizontal line tangent with the top of its front and rear bumpers to a horizontal line tangent with the vehicle's most forward and rearward roofline for the entire 400-foot sight line to the school bus with no obstruction of the area for the entire 400-foot sight line to the school bus in its stopped position.
Under the bill, instead, a school bus would be clearly and continuously visible if both of the following conditions were satisfied:
-- Approaching traffic was able to see the front of the bus extending from the roofline to and including the headlamps at the prescribed distances.
-- Approaching traffic was able to see the back of the bus extending from the roofline to and including the tail lamps and stop lamps at the prescribed distances.
MCL 257.1855 Legislative Analyst: Julie Koval
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 6-20-06 Fiscal Analyst: Kathryn Summers-Coty
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb5581/0506