HB 1587-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2024 SESSION

24-2255

02/05

 

HOUSE BILL 1587-FN

 

AN ACT relative to the installation of video surveillance equipment in special education school buses.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Grossman, Rock. 11; Rep. B. Boyd, Hills. 12; Rep. Kuttab, Rock. 17; Rep. Gregg, Hills. 7; Rep. Long, Hills. 23; Rep. Kenney, Straf. 10; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15

 

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires video surveillance equipment to be installed and operated on all vehicles provided through services related to a student's IEP.  The bill also requires school districts to develop a privacy policy for resulting recordings.

 

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

24-2255

02/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

 

AN ACT relative to the installation of video surveillance equipment in special education school buses.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Equipment of Vehicles; School Buses; Video Surveillance Equipment.  Amend the subdivision heading following RSA 266:30 to read as follows:

Lights, Signals, Flashers, Reflectors, [and] Flags,

and Video Surveillance Equipment

2  School Bus Equipment; Video Surveillance Equipment.  Amend the section heading of RSA 266:39 to read as follows:

266:39  School Bus Stop Signals, [and] Strobe Lights, and Video Surveillance Equipment.

3  New Paragraph; School Bus Equipment; Video Surveillance Equipment.  Amend RSA 266:39 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:

III.  The director shall require the installation and operation of video surveillance equipment on any vehicle, including a school bus, mixed use bus, or passenger vehicle provided by or on behalf of a school district, which is used to transport a child with a disability to or from school, or school function, or to or from a service provided as part of the child's individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan.  This requirement shall not apply to transportation provided by the child’s parent or legal guardian.

4  Transportation of Pupils; Surveillance Privacy Policy.  Amend RSA 189:6 to read as follows:

189:6  Transportation of Pupils.  

I.  The local school district shall furnish transportation to pupils in kindergarten through grade 8 who live more than 2 miles from the school to which they are assigned.  The local school district may furnish transportation to pupils in kindergarten through grade 8 who live 2 miles or less from the school to which they are assigned, and to pupils in grades 9 through 12, when it finds that this is appropriate, and shall furnish it when so directed by the commissioner of education.

II.  Each school district and chartered public school shall develop a policy pertaining to the operation of video surveillance equipment required under RSA 266:39 and access to any resulting recordings.  The policy shall include, but may not be limited to, the following provisions:

(a)  The school's policy on student privacy as it pertains to video surveillance.

(b)  Whether video will be viewed live, and if so, by whom.

(c)  Who will have access to any resulting recordings, including whether and when parents may view any resulting recordings.

(d)  Under what conditions schools would show or turn over recordings to law enforcement.

(e)  How long video recordings will be retained and the method for disposal.

5  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.

 

LBA

24-2255

12/12/23

 

HB 1587-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to the installation of video surveillance equipment in special education school buses.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [    ] State              [    ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

Estimated Political Subdivision Impact - Increase / (Decrease)

 

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

Local Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Local Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires video surveillance equipment to be installed and operated on all vehicles provided through services related to a student's individualized education plan (IEP). The Department of Safety states there are approximately 250 vehicles operating in New Hampshire that would require the installation of a video surveillance system under this bill. Some buses are run by private operators, but to the extent the buses are operated by local school districts, there would be an increase to local expenditures to comply. Initial costs would include equipment acquisition and installation, and ongoing costs to include data storage and routine maintenance/replacement. Any costs are indeterminable and could vary from district to district.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Education and Department of Safety