Ohio House Approves Stricter Penalties for Passing Stopped School Buses
The Ohio House of Representatives has unanimously passed House Bill 3, also known as the School Bus Safety Act, in a strong bipartisan effort to improve the safety of children who ride school buses.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) and Rep. Bernie Willis (R-Springfield), now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
One of the key components of the bill is the significant increase in penalties for drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus. Under the proposed legislation, the fine would range from $250 to $1,000 for a first offense.
Repeat offenders could face a $2,000 fine, a license suspension, and mandatory completion of a safety course. Currently, fines for such violations in Ohio range from $0 to $500.
The bill also authorizes the use of cameras on school buses to help catch drivers who illegally pass them, something Ohio law previously neither allowed nor prohibited. These cameras would enable bus drivers to review footage and report violations, which lawmakers believe could help address the thousands of incidents that currently go unrecorded.
According to Paul Imhoff of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, more than 14,000 citations were issued in Ohio over four years for illegally passing school buses. He testified that such dangerous actions put children’s lives at risk and praised H.B. 3 as a meaningful step toward reducing those risks.
Despite its focus on safety, the bill does not require school buses to be equipped with seat belts. Large school buses over 10,000 pounds are not mandated to have seat belts under current Ohio law, although 63% of school districts in the state have at least one bus with them.
Only eight states, including New York, New Jersey, and California, currently require seat belts on school buses. The National Transportation Safety Board, however, continues to recommend over-the-shoulder and lap belts for all student passengers.
The renewed focus on bus safety comes after the 2023 death of Aiden Clark, a Northwestern Local Schools elementary student, in a school bus crash. Following that tragedy, Governor Mike DeWine created the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, which issued 17 safety recommendations, though mandating seat belts was not among them.
Meanwhile, a similar proposal in the Ohio Senate, Senate Bill 62, sponsored by Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), also aims to strengthen penalties for drivers who pass stopped school buses. That bill includes a $300 civil penalty and has already had multiple hearings.
Lawmakers and education officials agree that stronger enforcement and better technology are necessary to protect Ohio’s children as they travel to and from school. As Rep. Willis stated, this legislation could transform how school districts approach bus safety and potentially save lives.
