ANNAPOLIS — Maryland lawmakers are planning to vote Friday on legislation enabling local jurisdictions to monitor and ticket drivers using video cameras mounted on school buses. Under the bill, drivers caught on tape illegally passing a stopped school bus would be eligible for a $250 fine. School bus drivers would be responsible for notifying law enforcement officials of violations and handing over the tapes, according to the bill.
The measure gained traction in the Maryland Senate on Thursday, after lawmakers voted down amendments that would have reduced the fine to $40.
“We think that there is a serious problem and we’ve been asked by our localities — especially the local boards of education — for the ability to do this,” said Sen. David R. Brinkley, R-Carroll and Frederick counties. “We have counties that are yearning to do this.”
All 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore have expressed interest in implementing the road-monitoring program, which could generate millions in much-needed revenue on top of the localities’ highly profitable speed camera systems.
Hundreds of school buses in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties already are equipped with road-monitoring cameras. All they need is state approval to begin issuing fines.
The Senate measure outlines few limitations for interested jurisdictions, other than requiring that a law enforcement officer review the tapes and issue citations. Local officials would use their discretion in choosing the recording technology and hours of operation for the monitoring devices, said Sen. Joseph M. Getty, R-Baltimore and Carroll counties.
“Localities know they have to have a program that passes muster,” he said.
But Minority Whip E.J. Pipkin of the Eastern Shore said some jurisdictions can’t be trusted to make those decisions without additional state regulations.
“We’re leaving it to the locals, yet drivers all over the state could be impacted by this,” said Pipkin, a Republican.
A handful of jurisdictions have come under fire for failing to complete regular maintenance on their speed cameras, casting doubt on the reliability of the ticketing systems.
Pipkin also raised questions about the $250 fine, saying it would lead to a high number of court challenges that would burden the courts and force school bus drivers to frequently testify.
Maryland drivers currently are eligible for up to three points and a $1,000 fine if they are caught illegally passing a stopped school bus.
Almost 80 percent of drivers contest the tickets.
The Maryland State Department of Education reported in February that over the course of one day more than 7,000 drivers illegally passed a stopped school bus, according to a survey of 65 percent of the state’s school bus drivers.
