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Minnesota2026Passed Legislature

HF3436

Vehicles Must Stop for School Buses with Flashing Red Lights

Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 3:39 AM

In one sentence

Drivers must stop at least 20 feet away from a school bus displaying flashing red lights and wait until the lights stop flashing before moving.

What it does

  • Amends Minnesota Statutes section 169.444, subdivision 1 regarding children getting on or off school buses.
  • Requires drivers to stop their vehicles at least 20 feet from a bus that is displaying flashing red lights.
  • Prohibits drivers from moving the vehicle until the red lights are no longer flashing.
  • Removes the requirement for an extended stop-signal arm as part of the rule requiring drivers to stop, keeping only the flashing red light requirement.

Who it affects

  • Drivers of vehicles on streets or highways near school buses

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill text does not list specific penalties for drivers who fail to follow these rules.
  • The effective date depends on final enactment, occurring the day after it happens.

Plain language

Terms to know

Flashing red lights
Red warning signals on a school bus that tell other drivers to stop.
Prewarning amber lights
Yellow flashing lights that warn traffic the bus is about to show red lights and that vehicles must not get within 20 feet when they appear.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestCurrent bill textStored full record

Official summary

Vehicles approaching school buses required to stop for flashing red lights.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. See Senate file in House SF3623House
  2. Author added RarickHouse
  3. Author added AltendorfHouse
  4. Bills identical, SF substituted on General RegisterHouse
  5. Referred to Chief Clerk for comparison with SF3623House
  6. Author added Van BinsbergenHouse
  7. Committee report, to adoptHouse
  8. Authors added Dotseth, Robbins, Sexton, Schwartz, Scott, and ZeleznikarHouse
  9. Authors added Hollins, Greene, Kotyza-Witthuhn, and RepinskiHouse
  10. Authors added Jones and MyersHouse
  11. Author added KoegelHouse
  12. Introduction and first reading, referred to Transportation Finance and PolicyHouse