Governor McKee Ceremonially Signs Legislation to Get Students to and from School Safely
Published on Friday, September 05, 2025
New law requires school buses to be equipped with video monitoring system for traffic violations
SMITHFIELD, RI — Today, Governor Dan McKee ceremonially signed legislation (S0568A/H5421Aaa) at Pleasant View Elementary School in Smithfield that requires Rhode Island school buses to be equipped with video systems to help monitor traffic violations and keep students, aides, and bus drivers safe.
“With this legislation, we’re putting the safety of our students first,” said Governor Dan McKee. “I thank the bill sponsors, Teamsters Local 251, and everyone who came together to make this important public safety measure a reality.”
At the signing, Governor McKee was joined by bill sponsors Senate Majority Whip David P. Tikoian (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, Lincoln, North Providence) and Rep. Thomas E. Noret (D-Dist. 25, Coventry, West Warwick), Smithfield Town Manager Robert Seltzer, Smithfield Town Councilors, Smithfield Public Schools Superintendent Dawn Bartz, Smithfield School Committee members, students and staff at Pleasant View Elementary, and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 251 Secretary Treasurer Matt Taibi.
The required systems will be used to monitor school bus violations, such as when vehicles pass a school bus while red lights are flashing. Before this legislation, state law did not require school bus video monitoring systems, and violations for illegally passing a school bus could only be enforced if a police officer was physically present at the time of the offense.
The legislation requires the cameras on new school buses to be active starting July 1, 2027. Additionally, the new law offers a ‘grace period’ for these systems to be used on all Rhode Island school buses—new and existing—by July 1, 2032.
“This is a critical public safety measure to keep the most precious cargo, our children and students, safe,” said Senate Majority Whip David P. Tikoian (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, Lincoln, North Providence), a retired Rhode Island State Police major and former North Providence Police chief. “This legislation provides a reasonable timeline for cities and towns to procure a necessary enforcement mechanism that will keep our children safe as they’re riding to and from school, particularly when they are boarding or exiting school buses.”
“This bill is necessary for student safety, driver safety, and monitor safety,” said Representative Thomas E. Noret (D-Dist. 25, Coventry, West Warwick), a retired officer with the Coventry Police Department. “I spoke to the school bus operations in one of the communities I represent, and they said the time frame for budgeting, allocation, and implementation was very thoughtful and reasonable.”
“Far too often, students, parents, and school bus workers are put at risk by motorists violating the law,” said Taibi, Secretary Treasurer at Teamsters Local 251. “Hopefully, this law will keep our children and communities safer by deterring dangerous behavior. Teamsters Local 251 is proud to support this effort.”
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our students. This new law puts student safety front and center by ensuring every school bus in Rhode Island is equipped with outward-facing cameras to deter dangerous driving and protect children as they get on and off the bus,” said Smithfield Public Schools Superintendent Dawn Bartz. “Here in Smithfield, we’ve already enhanced safety with interior bus cameras, and this legislation builds on that with added protections. I am especially grateful to Governor McKee, our House and Senate leaders, and Senator David Tikoian, who is a strong advocate for our schools and is the sponsor of this legislation, for their leadership in protecting Rhode Island’s children.”
“Many of the young children who are waiting for their school bus are excited and enjoying the camaraderie of the other children. When they cross a street or walk onto a school bus from a sidewalk, their last thought is worrying about a distracted automobile driver who ignores the flashing red lights and creates a dangerous environment for school kids, as well as their parents. It is unfortunate, but a reality that these incidents occur,” said Smithfield Town Manager Robert Seltzer. “This new legislation will provide the technology to identify these offenders and penalize them for their carelessness. More importantly, it is an opportunity to educate these offenders about the dangers of such carelessness to hopefully teach them that such behavior is unacceptable.”