A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide additional methods for proving that a stopped vehicle passed by another motor vehicle is a "school bus" SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF G.S. 20‑217, TO REQUIRE LOCAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOL BUS SAFETY TO STUDENTS, AND TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION TO STUDY HOW THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN BOARDING AND EXITING SCHOOL BUSES MAY BE INCREASED.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑217(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	For the purpose of this section, the term "school bus" includes a public school bus transporting children or school personnel, a public school bus transporting senior citizens under G.S. 115C‑243, or a privately owned school bus transporting children. The following shall be prima facie evidence that a vehicle was a school bus, as defined in this section and Chapter, at the time of a violation of subsection (a) of this section:
(1)	A certified copy of a record from the Division showing the vehicle was registered as a school bus at the time of the violation of subsection (a) of this section. A certified copy of a record under this subdivision shall be admissible as provided in Chapter 8C of the General Statutes.
(2)	Testimony from the school bus driver, a passenger on the school bus, or the law enforcement officer investigating the violation of subsection (a) of this section."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑242 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑242.  Use and operation of school buses.
(a)	Public school buses may be used for the following purposes only, and it shall be the duty of the superintendent of the school of each local school administrative unit to supervise the use of all school buses operated by such local school administrative unit so as to assure and require compliance with this section:
…
(b)	Local school administrative units shall provide instruction in school bus safety to all elementary school students every school year. The instruction provided under this subsection shall be developed by the State Board of Education."
SECTION 3.  The Department of Public Instruction, in collaboration with the Department of Transportation, shall study procedures that may be employed and equipment that may be utilized to increase the safety of children boarding and exiting school buses. Included within this study shall be the feasibility and cost of extending the metal arm in which the mechanical stop signal is affixed or equipping school buses with a metal bar or other device that can extend from the school bus to provide a barrier between children boarding or exiting the school bus and motor vehicles that may be approaching. The Department of Public Instruction shall report its findings and recommendations, including any legislative proposals, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by January 15, 2018.
SECTION 4.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective October 1, 2017, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law, and the instruction required by G.S. 115C‑242(b), as enacted by Section 2 of this act, shall be provided beginning with the 2017‑2018 school year.