School Bus Cameras (H 6318)

While we have a long history of opposition to camera-enforced traffic laws, school bus cameras can serve a very focused and limited purpose that does not raise the same level of concern as other traffic surveillance cameras. However, we argued that if school bus cameras are to become standard by state mandate, this legislation should be limited to ensure that their use is not inappropriately expanded in privacy-infringing ways. Specifically, we urged deletion of the words "at a minimum" which, if kept, would give school districts open-ended authority to use bus surveillance cameras in ways far beyond this specific purpose. School districts should not be purchasing camera technology that does anything more than detect school bus violations.