Make wishtv.com your home page

US. Sen. Young proposes bill to curb illegal school bus passing

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WISH) — U.S. Sen. Todd Young introduced a new bill that aims to protect students as they get on and off the school bus. 

The motivation behind this bill stemmed from an incident in 2018 where three children were killed in Rochester after a truck hit them while they were trying to get on the school bus.

Senator Young announced the Stop For School Buses Act. It would require states to re-evaluate their laws in regards to school bus passing, review safety measures, and review driving educational materials in reference to illegal school bus passing.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill into law earlier this month that increased the consequences for drivers who illegally pass school buses in Indiana. Starting July 1, the first offense could be a loss of license for 90 days.

Indiana State Police said bus drivers across the state noted that every time a driver passed them illegally during their morning and afternoon routes for one day in April, the state total added up to more than 2,500 incidents.

Young said he hopes his bill will serve as a federal response to the ongoing issue of illegal school bus passing and, in turn, making students and parents feel safer as they go to and from school.