Senate panel OKs tougher penalties for passing school buses

Tearful testimony Tuesday from the mother of a dead 7-year-old girl helped nudge legislation that stiffens penalties for drivers illegally passing school buses.

“This is my baby. I want to see her again. I want to protect her again,” Kari Halverson told a Senate subcommittee as she held up a picture of a smiling blonde-haired girl with a missing front tooth.

She sobbed. Then continued, “I just ... I don't even know what else to say. I just kind of think this is a no-brainer.”

Kari is the mother of Kadyn Halverson, who was struck by a car and killed in rural Worth County as she went to her school bus on May 10, 2011.

Her death inspired her parents and their friends to push for “Kadyn's Law.” They've worked the Capitol corridors since before the 2012 session began, leaving binders of information about the bill on the desks of legislators and handing out key chains and stickers with Kadyn's picture on them.

They also found bipartisan support from lawmakers, with Sen. Merlin Bartz, R-Grafton, and Sen. Amanda Ragan, D-Mason City, sponsoring the bill in the Senate.

“This bill can't undo that tragedy, but it can help us make our school children safer,” said Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, who chaired the committee.

Current law requires that a driver slow to less than 20 mph when passing a school bus that has its flashing lights activated. A driver also must halt when a bus stop sign or arm is extended. A violation of the law is a simple misdemeanor, punishable by a $200 fine.

Under Kadyn's Law, a first offense fine would be at least $250 but not more than $675 and a person could be sent to jail for up to 30 days. A second offense within five years would be a serious misdemeanor, with fines ranging between $315 and $1,875 and up to a year in jail.

The bill also adds new penalties for causing an injury or death as a result of failing to obey school bus warnings. In such cases, a driver could be fined an additional $500 or $1,000 and have a license suspended for 90 or 180 days.

An amendment added in committee includes an educational component to inform drivers about the changes and a section allowing for graduated suspensions.

Ross Loder, legislative liaison for the Iowa Department of Public Safety, which supports the measure, told the committee the law is “workable and enforceable.”

“Passing a school bus with its lights flashing and arm extended, if that's not a serious violation, then nothing is,” he said.

The bill unanimously passed out of committee and is expected to be heard by a full Senate committee next week. Bartz, who is friends with Kadyn's grandparents, Kathy and Dennis Meyer, was happy with the vote.

“There have been a lot of heart-wrenching meetings on this all summer long about what the course of action should be,” he said.