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H. B. No. 530 *HR43/R535* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives Lott, Burch
HOUSE BILL NO. 530
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-615, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO INCREASE THE PENALTY FOR THE VIOLATION OF OVERTAKING A SCHOOL 2
BUS THAT HAS STOPPED ON THE STREET OR HIGHWAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF 3
RECEIVING OR DISCHARGING ANY SCHOOL CHILDREN; AND FOR RELATED 4
PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Section 63-3-615, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 7
amended as follows: 8
63-3-615. (1) (a) The driver of a vehicle upon a street or 9
highway upon meeting or overtaking any school bus that has stopped 10
on the street or highway for the purpose of receiving or 11
discharging any school children shall come to a complete stop at 12
least ten (10) feet from the school bus before reaching the school 13
bus when there is in operation on the school bus the flashing red 14
lights provided in Section 63-7-23, or when a retractable, 15
hand-operated stop sign is extended; the driver shall not proceed 16
until the children have crossed the street or highway and the 17
school bus has resumed motion or the flashing red lights are no 18
longer actuated and the hand-operated stop sign is retracted. 19
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(b) The driver of a vehicle upon a divided highway that 20
has four (4) lanes or more and permits at least two (2) lanes of 21
traffic to travel in opposite directions need not stop upon 22
meeting or passing a school bus that is stopped in the opposing 23
roadway, or if the school bus is stopped in a loading zone that is 24
a part of or adjacent to the highway and where pedestrians are not 25
permitted to cross the roadway. 26
(2) (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), any person 27
violating the provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall 28
be guilty of a misdemeanor and: 29
(i) Upon a first conviction thereof shall be fined 30
not less than * * * One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) nor more 31
than * * * Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00), or imprisoned for not 32
more than one (1) year, or both. In addition, the Commissioner of 33
Public Safety or his duly authorized designee, after conviction 34
for the offense and upon receipt of the court abstract, shall 35
suspend the driver's license and driving privileges of the person 36
for a period of sixty (60) days; and 37
(ii) For a second or subsequent offense, the 38
offenses being committed within a period of five (5) years, the 39
person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, 40
shall be fined not less than * * * Two Thousand Dollars 41
($2,000.00) nor more than * * * Three Thousand Dollars 42
($3,000.00), or imprisoned for not more than one (1) year, or 43
both. In addition, the Commissioner of Public Safety or his duly 44
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authorized designee, after conviction for a second or subsequent 45
offense and upon receipt of the court abstract, shall suspend the 46
driver's license and driving privileges of the person for a period 47
of * * * one (1) year. 48
(b) A conviction under this section for a violation 49
resulting in any injury to a child who is in the process of 50
boarding or exiting a school bus shall be a violation of Section 51
97-3-7, and a violator shall be punished under subsection (2) of 52
that section. 53
(3) This section shall be applicable only in the event the 54
school bus shall bear upon the front and rear thereon a plainly 55
visible sign containing the words "school bus" in letters not less 56
than four (4) inches in height. 57
(4) If any person witnesses the driver of any vehicle 58
violating the provisions of this section and the identity of the 59
driver of the vehicle is not otherwise apparent, it shall be a 60
rebuttable inference that the person in whose name the vehicle is 61
registered committed the violation. If charges are filed against 62
multiple owners of a motor vehicle, only one (1) of the owners may 63
be convicted and court costs may be assessed against only one (1) 64
of the owners. If the vehicle that is involved in the violation 65
is registered in the name of a rental or leasing company and the 66
vehicle is rented or leased to another person at the time of the 67
violation, the rental or leasing company may rebut the inference 68
of guilt by providing the law enforcement officer or prosecuting 69
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ST: Overtaking a stopped school bus; increase
penalty for violations of.
authority with a copy of the rental or lease agreement in effect 70
at the time of the violation. 71
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 72
and after July 1, 2026. 73