Amends existing law to provide for an increased fine for a first violation of overtaking a school bus and misdemeanor penalties for second and subsequent violations.

This legislation updates Idaho Code § 49-1422 and has three specific components. Firstly, it increases the fines associated with illegally passing school buses. Drivers in Idaho have increased the frequency of passing school buses during the boarding and disembarking of children, and the current deployment of flashing lights and the stop arm is not always effective enough. Increasing the fines will be a notable deterrent against unsafe drivingbehavior. Secondly, thislegislationamendsthechargeforafirst-timeoffensefromamisdemeanortoan infraction while maintaining that the second, and any subsequent stop arm convictions, remain a misdemeanor. Currently,therequirementofthedefendantforafirst-timestoparmoffenseistomakeaninitialcourtappearance to plead guilty, a second appearance for a court trial, and a third appearance for sentencing. Reducing the initial chargetoaninfractionallowsthedefendanttheabilitytoresolvethefinesimposedunderthissubsectiononline, or by phone or email. Finally, the draft grants the Department of Education administrative rights to the School Bus Camera Fund. In supporting the efforts to bring more awareness to the seriousness of school bus stop violations, and to support local law enforcement agencies in securing convictions of such offenses, moneys in thefundwillbeappropriatedforthepurposeofschoolbusstoparmcameras, software, equipment, andtraining.