School Bus Stop-Arm Safety Camera Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7204
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-01-23: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-03T08:06:25Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation aims to enhance schoolbus safety by promoting the adoption of stop-arm safety camera technology, which captures images or videos of vehicles that illegally pass a schoolbus when its stop arm is extended. It directs federal agencies to study the benefits of this technology and establish a grant program to fund its implementation.
Key Provisions
- Study Requirement: The Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in coordination with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), must conduct a study on the benefits of mandating stop-arm safety cameras on schoolbuses nationwide. Within one year of enactment, both agencies must publicly publish:
- Findings from the study.
- Best practices recommendations, including:
- Managing data while protecting privacy (e.g., safeguards to prevent misuse of recorded information).
- Sharing data with law enforcement to fairly handle traffic violation cases.
- Structuring fees and revenue (e.g., from fines) to make programs self-sustaining and focused on student safety.
- Grant Program Establishment: Within 18 months of enactment, the Secretary of Transportation must create a grant program to expand the use of stop-arm safety camera technology.
- Eligible Recipients: Grants are awarded only to state educational agencies (state-level bodies responsible for overseeing public education, as defined in federal education law).
- Application Process: Agencies must submit applications with details specified by the Secretary; the Secretary must notify eligible agencies before accepting applications.
- Allowable Uses of Funds: Grants can cover:
- Buying new schoolbuses pre-equipped with the camera technology.
- Installing the technology on existing schoolbuses.
- Maintaining and repairing the cameras.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces new federal mandates without amending prior laws directly. It creates a novel study on stop-arm cameras and a dedicated grant program under the Department of Transportation, filling a gap in federal support for this specific safety technology. No requirements for mandatory nationwide installation are imposed; instead, it focuses on voluntary adoption through incentives and research.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases workload for FMCSA, NHTSA, and the Department of Transportation in conducting studies, publishing reports, and administering grants. State educational agencies gain access to federal funding but must apply and comply with program rules.
- Citizens: Could improve safety for schoolchildren by reducing illegal passing incidents (a leading cause of schoolbus-related accidents). Motorists may face more enforcement through camera evidence, potentially leading to fines, but programs must ensure fair processes. Privacy protections are emphasized to address concerns over surveillance.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill is focused on domestic U.S. school transportation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State Educational Agencies and School Districts: Primary recipients of grants; responsible for implementing camera technology on schoolbuses.
- Students and Parents: Benefit from enhanced safety during bus transport.
- Motorists and Law Enforcement: Affected by potential increases in detected violations and the need for data-sharing protocols.
- Federal Agencies (FMCSA, NHTSA, Department of Transportation): Tasked with research, recommendations, and grant oversight.
- Schoolbus Manufacturers and Technology Providers: May see increased demand for equipped vehicles and camera systems.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Emphasizes privacy safeguards and fair adjudication to comply with due process requirements under the U.S. Constitution (e.g., ensuring evidence from cameras is used appropriately in traffic courts). Revenue-sharing models could raise questions about state vs. federal funding authority, but the bill ties funds to safety goals.
- Constitutional: Potential Fourth Amendment concerns related to privacy from camera surveillance are mitigated by requiring best practices recommendations, though implementation will depend on state-level execution.
- Political: Positions schoolbus safety as a non-partisan priority, potentially garnering broad support. It encourages self-sustaining programs via fines, which could spark debates on automated enforcement equity, but avoids mandating the technology to respect state autonomy in education and traffic laws.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-01-23: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- 2026-01-22: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Education and 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.
- 2026-01-22: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Education and 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.
- 2026-01-22: Introduced in House
- 2026-01-22: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- School Bus Stop-Arm Safety Camera Act — issued 2026-01-22 — PDF (4 pages)