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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to school bus monitoring systems and the required |
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reporting of certain offenses recorded by those systems. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 542, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 542.207 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 542.207. REQUIRED INSTALLATION OF SCHOOL BUS |
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MONITORING SYSTEMS; USE OF SYSTEM IMAGES FOR ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN |
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OFFENSES. (a) In this section, "school bus monitoring system" |
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means a camera installed on a school bus for the purpose of |
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detecting violations described by Section 545.066. |
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(b) A local authority or school district shall install a |
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school bus monitoring system on each school bus owned or operated by |
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the authority or district and used for the purpose of transporting |
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students to or from school or a school-sponsored or school-related |
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activity. |
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(c) A local authority or school district may contract for |
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the installation of a school bus monitoring system. |
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(d) A local authority or school district shall immediately: |
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(1) report to a local law enforcement agency an |
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offense under Section 545.066 or an offense under Title 5, 6, or 9, |
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Penal Code, that is captured by a recorded image produced by a |
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school bus monitoring system; and |
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(2) provide recorded images described by Subdivision |
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(1) to the law enforcement agency. |
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(e) A recorded image described by Subsection (d) may be used |
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as evidence in a proceeding for an offense described by that |
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subsection. |
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(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a |
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local authority or school district that implemented a school bus |
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monitoring system before September 1, 2025, is not required to |
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comply with this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 707.020(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided by |
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Section 542.207, a local authority may not implement or operate a |
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photographic traffic signal enforcement system with respect to a |
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highway or street under the jurisdiction of the authority. |
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SECTION 3. Section 707.021, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 707.021. USE OF EVIDENCE FROM PHOTOGRAPHIC TRAFFIC |
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SIGNAL ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding any other |
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law, except as provided by Section 542.207, a local authority may |
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not issue a civil or criminal charge or citation for an offense or |
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violation based on a recorded image produced by a photographic |
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traffic signal enforcement system. |
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SECTION 4. Notwithstanding Section 542.207, Transportation |
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Code, as added by this Act, a local authority or school district is |
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not required to comply with that section before September 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |