Pennsylvania SB 1046: An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in rules of the road in general, further providing for automated enforcement of failure to stop for school bus with flashing red lights.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1266
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1046
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BOSCOLA, FONTANA, TARTAGLIONE, VOGEL AND MILLER,
OCTOBER 21, 2025
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, OCTOBER 21, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in rules of the road in general, further providing
for automated enforcement of failure to stop for school bus
with flashing red lights.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 3345.1(c), (i.2)(2)(i), (i.3), (i.4) and
(j) of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are
amended to read:
§ 3345.1. Automated enforcement of failure to stop for school
bus with flashing red lights.
* * *
(c) Penalty.--For each violation of this section, the owner
of the motor vehicle shall be subject to a penalty as follows:
(1) The penalty for the violation shall be [a fine of
$300. The fine shall be distributed as follows:] assessed
according to the following schedule:
(i) $100 for a first violation.
(ii) $200 for a second violation within 12 months of
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the first offense.
(iii) $300 for a third or subsequent violation
within 12 months.
(iv) In cases of egregious conduct, including
passing the bus at high speed or while children are
visibly in the roadway, law enforcement may impose a $300
fine, regardless of the schedule under this paragraph,
consistent with Pennsylvania State Police guidance.
(1.1) Fines under paragraph (1) shall be distributed as
follows:
(i) [$250] eighty percent to the school entity where
the violation occurred and which authorized the use of a
side stop signal arm enforcement system, which shall be
utilized for the installation, administration or
maintenance of side stop signal arm enforcement systems,
including through a system administrator under an
agreement with the school entity, on school buses;
(ii) [$25] ten percent to the primary police
department that reviewed the submitted evidence as
required under subsection (h.2); and
(iii) [$25] ten percent to the School Bus Safety
Grant Program Account.
[(1.1)] (1.2) The fine under paragraph (1) shall not be
subject to 42 Pa.C.S. § 3571 (relating to Commonwealth
portion of fines, etc.) or 3573 (relating to municipal
corporation portion of fines, etc.).
(4) A violation under this section shall not:
(i) be deemed a criminal conviction;
(ii) be made part of the operating record of the
individual upon whom the penalty is imposed under section
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1535 (relating to schedule of convictions and points);
(iii) be the subject of merit rating for insurance
purposes; [or]
(iv) authorize imposition of surcharge points in the
provision of motor vehicle insurance coverage[.]; or
(v) be used for any commercial purpose.
* * *
(i.2) Notice of violation.--
* * *
(2) The notice of violation shall include all of the
following:
(i) A copy of the recorded image showing the motor
vehicle[.], including instruction and an electronic link
for the owner of the motor vehicle to view the recorded
video of the alleged violation.
* * *
(i.3) Payment of fine.--Payment of the fine shall be as
follows:
(1) An owner of the motor vehicle may admit
responsibility for the violation and pay the fine provided in
the notice of violation personally, through an authorized
agent, electronically or by mailing both the payment and
notice of violation to the school entity or to a system
administrator on the school entity's behalf.
(2) Payment of the fine shall operate as a final
disposition of the violation of this section.
(3) [If] Except as provided under paragraph (4), if
payment is not received within 90 days of the mailing date of
the notice of violation, the school entity, or a system
administrator on the school entity's behalf, may request an
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applicable credit collection agency to resolve the payment
amount owed.
(4) If a hearing request to contest the violation has
been timely filed under subsection (i.4), no collection
action may be initiated under paragraph (3) until the
contested violation has been resolved and a final disposition
has been entered.
(i.4) Contest of violation.--The procedure for contesting a
violation of this section shall be as follows:
(1) An owner of the motor vehicle may, within 30 days of
the mailing date of the notice of violation, request a
hearing before the department's hearing officer to contest
liability either personally, by an authorized agent or by
mailing a request in writing on the prescribed form or
electronically. A hearing to contest liability may be in
person or be conducted through live-stream synchronous video
conferencing or similar virtual presence technology and shall
be only at reasonable locations and times set by the school
entity or th