Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB7: AN ACT relating to school bus safety.
Status: Signed into law, April 9, 2026
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 158 to define terms; allow the use of camera monitoring systems on school buses operated by a school district and allow the enforcement of a civil penalty for stop arm camera violations recorded by a camera monitoring system; establish the amount of the civil penalty; require that the revenue generated from a civil penalty be retained by the school district; allow a law enforcement agency to charge a fee of $25 from every civil penalty enforced by the law enforcement agency; require specific notice for a stop arm camera violation; establish defenses to a violation; establish procedures for a contest to a violation; allow for suspension of motor vehicle registration for failure to timely pay a penalty; require a school district or law enforcement agency to notify the Transportation Cabinet of the need to release a motor vehicle registration suspension within 1 business day of payment; amend KRS 189.370 to require traffic in the opposite direction of a school or church bus to stop for the bus on a highway that is not divided by an elevated barrier or unpaved median;amend KRS 189.990 to increase the maximum fines for failing to stop for a school or church bus that is receiving or discharging passengers.
What the bill says
An act relating to school bus safety.
From the committee substitute text:
AN ACT relating to school bus safety. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 158 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS: As used in Sections 1 to 6 of this Act: (1) "Camera monitoring system" means a system with one (1) or more camera sensors or computers installed and operated on a school bus and (b) Record the activation status of the stop arm and the time, date, and location of the school bus when the recorded images are captured; (2) "Owner" has the same meaning as in KRS 186.010; (3) "Recorded images" means two (2) or more photographic images or a segment of any video medium recorded by a camera monitoring system which show on at least one (1) image or portion of video the registration plate number of a motor vehicle being operated in violation of Section 7 of this Act; (4) "School district" means a county school district as described in KRS 160.010 or an independent school district as described in KRS 160.020; and (5) "Stop arm camera violation" means a violation of Section 7 of this Act that is recorded by a camera monitoring system and enforced in accordance with Sections 1 to 6 of this Act. SECTION 2. A NEW SECTION OF …
Sponsors
- David Hale (R, HD-074) · primary sponsor
- Chad Aull (D, HD-079)
- George Brown (D, HD-077)
- Daniel Grossberg (D, HD-030)
- Kim King (R, HD-055)
Latest actions
- : signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 62)
- : delivered to Governor
- : enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
- : enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
- : passed 79-11
- : House concurred in Committee Substitute (1)
- : posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1)
- : to Rules (H)
- : received in House
- : 3rd reading, passed 37-1 with Committee Substitute (1)
Votes
- House: Final Passage RCS# 360 (March 31, 2026): 79 yea, 11 nay, passed
- Senate: PASS HB 7 w/ SCS 1 (SCS 1) RSN# 4015 (March 25, 2026): 37 yea, 1 nay, passed
- House: Pass RCS# 70 (February 9, 2026): 78 yea, 15 nay, passed
Subjects: Police, State, Crimes And Punishments, Education, Elementary And Secondary, Highways, Streets, And Bridges, Traffic Safety, Courts, District, Transportation, Police, City And County
Common questions
- What is HB7?
- HB7 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to school bus safety.
- What does HB7 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to school bus safety.
- What is the status of HB7?
- Signed into law as of April 9, 2026. Latest action: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 62) (April 9, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB7?
- David Hale (R, HD-074), with 4 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB7?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb7.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.