HB 7 Kentucky House · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT relating to school bus safety.

Summary
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.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 15, 2026 Signed Apr 9, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Current/Final · 6 edits
MODERATE
The bill was finalized and renumbered from a jacketed draft to an engrossed version, incorporating substantive changes to how stop-arm camera violations are handled. Key updates include setting specific civil penalty amounts ($300 for the first offense, $500 for subsequent ones), designating school districts as the primary recipients of fine revenue, and establishing a $25 fee for law enforcement agencies that process these cases. The text also clarifies that these violations do not result in points on a driver's record and outlines strict timelines for mailing violation notices and destroying recorded images.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on school bus stop-arm camera violations, but the enforcement and financial mechanisms have been refined to shift revenue retention to school districts while allowing law enforcement to collect a processing fee.
FISCAL

Established a tiered civil penalty structure of $300 for the first violation and $500 for each subsequent violation within a three-year period.

Changed revenue collection rules so that school districts retain all civil penalty revenue, except when court costs are deducted for cases litigated in the Court of Justice.

ENFORCEMENT

Authorized law enforcement agencies to charge and collect a $25 fee from school districts for every violation they enforce.

Clarified that stop-arm camera violations will not result in points being assessed against the owner's or operator's driving record.

REQUIREMENT

Mandated that violation notices must be mailed within 30 days and include specific details like recorded images, sworn officer statements, and payment instructions.

TIMELINE

Set a strict deadline to destroy recorded images: within 31 days if no violation is issued, or upon final disposition if a violation is confirmed.

Floor votes · House Feb 9, 2026

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
24
Key actions
11
Committee
9
Apr 9, 2026
Signed into law
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 62)
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Upper · Passed
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
upper
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
passed 79-11
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
House concurred in Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 26, 2026
Committee
to Rules (H)
lower
Mar 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
3rd reading, passed 37-1 with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 16, 2026
Committee
to Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (S)
upper
Feb 10, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Feb 9, 2026
Lower · Passed
3rd reading, passed 78-15
lower
Feb 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
lower
Jan 23, 2026
Committee
to Transportation (H)
lower
Jan 15, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Jan 15, 2026
Introduced
introduced in House
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.