AB203: Bill Text

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2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE

2007 Assembly BILL 203

March 19, 2007 - Introduced by Representatives Sheridan, Grigsby, Berceau and Parisi, cosponsored by Senators Coggs and Plale. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB203,1,3 An Act to create 347.447 of the statutes; relating to: electronic seat check reminders on school buses, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, school buses must be painted yellow and black and must have the words "SCHOOL BUS" in black letters at least eight inches high written on the front and back of the bus. A school bus painted in this manner may not be operated unless it is equipped with flashing red signals and with a 360-degree flashing white strobe light. Current law also allows the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prescribe rules requiring additional equipment for school buses.

This bill requires any school bus that is painted yellow and black to be equipped with an electronic seat check reminder system that will require that after turning off a school bus's ignition switch, the school bus driver must walk to the rear of the bus past each seat to check for passengers remaining in the bus and deactivate the system or an alarm will sound if the driver attempts to exit the bus. The bill also requires DOT to prescribe rules for the specifications, installation, and operation of these electronic seat check reminder systems. Any person who operates a school bus that is not equipped with the required electronic seat check reminder may be required to forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $200.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB203, s. 1 Section 1. 347.447 of the statutes is created to read:

AB203,2,7 347.447 Electronic seat check reminders for school buses. (1) Except as provided in sub. (2), no person may operate, on or after the first day of the 35th month beginning after the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], a school bus that is painted as provided in s. 347.44 unless it is equipped with an electronic seat check reminder system that does all of the following when the driver turns off the ignition:

AB203,2,9 (a) Requires the driver to walk to the back of the bus and check for any passengers remaining on the bus.

AB203,2,11 (b) Illuminates the interior of the bus sufficiently for the driver to see into and under all seats.

AB203,2,13 (c) Sounds an alarm if the driver attempts to exit the school bus without walking past the last seat to the rear of the bus and deactivating the system.

AB203,2,18 (2) No person may operate, on or after the first day of the first month beginning after the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], a school bus that is painted as provided in s. 347.44 and that is manufactured on or after the effective date of this section .... [revisor inserts date], unless it is equipped with an electronic seat check reminder system that meets the criteria specified in sub. (1) (a) to (c).

AB203,2,20 (3) The secretary shall prescribe rules for the specifications, installation, and operation of electronic seat check reminders required under this section.

AB203, s. 2 Section 2. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the first day of the 13th month beginning after publication, except as follows:

AB203,3,4 (1) The treatment of section 347.447 (3) of the statutes takes effect on the day after publication.

AB203,3,5 (End)