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CHAPTER 175
HB 1537-LOCAL - FINAL VERSION
21May2026... 1998EBA
2026 SESSION
26-2599
07/08
HOUSE BILL
1537-LOCAL
AN ACT
relative to the use of high resolution cameras to identify school bus stop light violators.
SPONSORS: Rep. Ulery, Hills. 13; Rep. Lynn, Rock. 17; Rep. Layon, Rock. 13; Rep. Giasson, Hills. 29; Rep. Spillane, Rock. 2; Rep. Notter, Hills. 12; Rep. Granger, Straf. 2; Rep. Kesselring, Hills. 18; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Lang, Dist 2
COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
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ANALYSIS
This bill allows video recording devices to be affixed to school bus stop bars.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in
bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [
in brackets and struckthrough.
]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
21May2026... 1998EBA 26-2599
07/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
relative to the use of high resolution cameras to identify school bus stop light violators.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
175:1 Statement of Findings. The general court hereby finds that:
I. The current method of observation and reporting of violations of school bus laws is ineffective in identifying those who recklessly and willfully endanger our children's lives.
II. To assist in obtaining convictions for egregious violations of school bus laws, enhancements of the tools school bus operators use while transporting students is required.
III. The installation of a high resolution camera on a school bus stop bar may assist in identifying and convicting persons in violation of school bus laws.
175:2 New Paragraphs; Transportation; Highway Video Surveillance; Highway Surveillance Prohibited. Amend RSA 236:130 by inserting after paragraph I the following new paragraphs:
I-a. "Stop bar" means a mechanical arm that has a large "STOP" sign attached and flashing lights that extend from the side of a school bus.
I-b. "High resolution camera" means a camera with video recording that can record a person's face with enough clarity to identify them.
I-c. "Video continuity tracking" means a method of digitally embedding a thread into a video to verify that a video has not been altered.
I-d. "School bus driver" means any person driving a school bus.
I-e. "School bus operator" means an entity owning a school bus.
175:3 New Subparagraph; Transportation; Highway Video Surveillance; Highway Surveillance Prohibited. Amend RSA 236:130, III by inserting after subparagraph (j) the following new subparagraph:
(k) Is undertaken for the purpose of monitoring vehicles passing stopped school buses with stop bars engaged in boarding or discharging passengers.
(1) Such monitoring shall be in the form of a video recording device affixed to the stop bar of a school bus with adequate digital video storage for 2 weeks of continuous activation.
(2) All video shall be time and date stamped digitally and video shall have continuity tracking markers embedded.
(3) The video shall be of high enough resolution to identify drivers and shall only be activated after the stop is extended.
(A) Any video recording shall be used for the sole purpose of supplementing observations and sworn statements of a school bus driver or operator, including for purposes of identification of vehicles and operators responsible for school bus law violations.
(B) Except in the case of damage by natural occurrence or disaster, videos shall be preserved until a town, city, municipality, state, or agency prosecutor determines if they will pursue criminal or motor vehicle charges against an identified person of interest.
(C) If a prosecutor determines that they shall press charges, the video shall be preserved until the case is resolved.
(D) If an accident or injury occurs involving the school bus that is recorded, the video shall be retained for no less than 4 years to be available under subpoena by either party in any resulting tort action.
(4) Video not needed for any investigation in accordance with this subparagraph shall be erased within 7 days of recording.
(5) If a school bus operator chooses to install a video recording device, an easily identifiable citation of this statute shall be affixed to the front and rear bumper of the school bus and shall state that external video monitoring may occur on the school bus's stop bar.
(6) Nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed to require the installation of a video recording device on a school bus.
175:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 90 days after its passage.
Approved: June 19, 2026
Effective Date: September 17, 2026