Bill Text: TX HB723 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to school bus monitoring systems and the required reporting of certain offenses recorded by those systems.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB723 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB723-Introduced.html
| 89R3639 AJZ-D | ||
| By: Gervin-Hawkins | H.B. No. 723 | |
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| relating to school bus monitoring systems and the required | ||
| reporting of certain offenses recorded by those systems. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 542, Transportation Code, | ||
| is amended by adding Section 542.207 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 542.207. REQUIRED INSTALLATION OF SCHOOL BUS | ||
| MONITORING SYSTEMS; USE OF SYSTEM IMAGES FOR ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN | ||
| OFFENSES. (a) In this section, "school bus monitoring system" | ||
| means a camera installed on a school bus for the purpose of | ||
| detecting violations described by Section 545.066. | ||
| (b) A local authority or school district shall install a | ||
| school bus monitoring system on each school bus owned or operated by | ||
| the authority or district and used for the purpose of transporting | ||
| students to or from school or a school-sponsored or school-related | ||
| activity. | ||
| (c) A local authority or school district may contract for | ||
| the installation of a school bus monitoring system. | ||
| (d) A local authority or school district shall immediately: | ||
| (1) report to a local law enforcement agency an | ||
| offense under Section 545.066 or an offense under Title 5, 6, or 9, | ||
| Penal Code, that is captured by a recorded image produced by a | ||
| school bus monitoring system; and | ||
| (2) provide recorded images described by Subdivision | ||
| (1) to the law enforcement agency. | ||
| (e) A recorded image described by Subsection (d) may be used | ||
| as evidence in a proceeding for an offense described by that | ||
| subsection. | ||
| (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a | ||
| local authority or school district that implemented a school bus | ||
| monitoring system before September 1, 2025, is not required to | ||
| comply with this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 707.020(a), Transportation Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (a) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided by | ||
| Section 542.207, a local authority may not implement or operate a | ||
| photographic traffic signal enforcement system with respect to a | ||
| highway or street under the jurisdiction of the authority. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 707.021, Transportation Code, is amended | ||
| to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 707.021. USE OF EVIDENCE FROM PHOTOGRAPHIC TRAFFIC | ||
| SIGNAL ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding any other | ||
| law, except as provided by Section 542.207, a local authority may | ||
| not issue a civil or criminal charge or citation for an offense or | ||
| violation based on a recorded image produced by a photographic | ||
| traffic signal enforcement system. | ||
| SECTION 4. Notwithstanding Section 542.207, Transportation | ||
| Code, as added by this Act, a local authority or school district is | ||
| not required to comply with that section before September 1, 2027. | ||
| SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
