Plain English Breakdown
The official metadata lists a chaptering date but leaves the effective date blank; therefore, the exact start date for enforcement cannot be confirmed from the provided text.
Lower Speed Limits in School Zones
This law allows local areas to set a school zone speed limit of 20 miles per hour until January 1, 2031, and sets that as the default state standard starting on that date.
What This Bill Does
- Allows local authorities to set a school zone speed limit of 20 miles per hour by ordinance or resolution until January 1, 2031.
- Sets a default prima facie speed limit of 20 miles per hour in school zones beginning on January 1, 2031, subject to conditions such as signs stating 'children are present' and specific posted hours.
- Allows local authorities to set a speed limit of 15 miles per hour in residence districts within school zones if the highway has a posted speed limit of 30 mph or slower.
- Authorizes a default speed limit of 25 miles per hour for roads approaching a school zone from a distance of 500 to 1,000 feet.
- Updates the definition of 'school zone' and adjusts how that definition applies to rules regarding illegal speed traps.
Who It Names or Affects
- Drivers traveling on highways within defined school zones or approaching them from a distance.
- Local city or county governments responsible for setting ordinances, resolutions, and traffic signs.
- School districts located in areas where state-mandated sign changes are required.
Terms To Know
- Prima facie speed limit
- A default legal speed limit that applies unless a driver can prove they were driving safely under specific conditions, even if going faster or slower than the posted number.
- School zone
- An area of highway within 500 feet of school grounds in any direction, marked by signs giving notice of the area, unless otherwise posted.
- Speed trap
- A section of road where a speed limit is enforced using radar or electronic devices but was not justified by a recent engineering and traffic survey.
Limits and Unknowns
- The official text does not specify the exact effective date for when these changes begin, only noting that it has been enacted.
- Enforcement of the new default limits after January 1, 2031 depends on specific conditions being met, such as signs stating 'children are present' and children actually being there.