KSHB 41 reporter Marlon Martinez covers Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. Share your story idea with Marlon.
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The stop-arm bill, which targets drivers who illegally pass school buses that are stopped, was passed by lawmakers as the Missouri legislative session came to an end Friday.
House Bill 2742's language was added to a broader public safety package that had already moved through both chambers.
KSHB 41 News reporter Marlon Martinez has been following these efforts, and his reporting played a part in helping bring attention to the issue, according to a previous interview with Missouri House Rep. Mike Jones, a sponsor of the bill.
“Looking at your coverage, you know, you really kind of set the train in motion by showing exactly what's happening, or the danger that our children have been in at the bus stop,” Jones told Martinez.
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Now that it has passed, the legislation will strengthen penalties and enforcement for those who fail to stop when school bus stop arms are extended.
"Any driver who fails to stop for a school bus while it is receiving or discharging children and whose driver has, in the manner prescribed by law given the signal to stop, and the failure to stop results in the physical injury of a child shall be guilty of a class E felony. If the failure results in a serious physical injury, the driver shall be guilty of a class D felony," according to the bill summary.
The bill summary also states that a person who is found guilty of a first offense will receive a fine of at least $500 and no more than $1,000.
The mandatory fine increases for second, third and subsequent offenses within a five-year range — a second offense results in a fine of at least $1,000 and no more than $2,000; third or subsequent offenses face a fine of at least $1,500 and no more than $3,000.
The omnibus package will go to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe for final consideration.
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