Town Board approves school bus camera fines

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The innovative camera/video recording program would be run and administered by the Town of Oyster Bay only in conjunction with agreements with local school districts within the Town’s jurisdiction. The buses are typically property of the school districts, and the proposal for adding cameras will be brought to each local district.

The resolution for approval of the local law, number 452 of 2023, was added after the Board voted to suspend the rules.

At a May 9th hearing, Town Attorney Frank Scalera explained that many school districts have advocated for this amendment to local jurisdiction. He said the State Law, Section 1174, addresses the fines to any driver who passes a school bus’ STOP-sign arm when it is extended as the bus comes to a stop. Section 1174-A allows for a municipality such as the Town of Oyster Bay to set forth a “monitoring system” that will work in conjunction with the school bus’ STOP-arm, to take photos and videos of the scene.

Approved with the Local Law, the Town’s set traffic violation fine of $250 for illegally passing a school bus is taken directly from New York State Statute.

Scalera noted that in order for a school bus monitoring system to become legally enforceable, according to New York State Law, the municipality has to approve its own corresponding local law.

School districts within TOBAY might already have cameras for their school bus STOP-arm monitoring but they can now enter into agreements with the Town for enforcement actions to proceed.

“We understand that a lot of school districts do want to do this, and obvi- ously nothing could be finalized without our Town Local Law passed and in place to amend the Town Code. If somebody (a driver) passes the school bus the monitoring camera will take a photo/video and that would be sent to the Town.

Scalera as well as Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino noted that the May 9 public hearing was the opportunity for public input on the proposed Town Local Law. The hearing two months ago was publicly noticed on April 18.

Town Attorney Scalera noted, “The legislative intent for the Town of Oyster Bay to do this is obviously our most precious commodity and most precious resource – for the health, safety and welfare of our schoolchildren. The Town government and our law office has performed due diligence with experts in this field, and they have opened our eyes up to what has transpired across the country and how effective STOParm cameras and recordings have been for reducing accidents or tragedies.”

Supervisor Saladino brought up the observations of some people that cameras already exist on school buses. He asked Town Attorney Scalera to clarify the situation of how the Town’s role is solely in the adjudication of tickets/ fines, and the Town is essentially taking part in a process set forward at the New York State level.

“New York State spells this out in 1174-A for the Town to approve the local law, as without it there is no mechanism to adjudicate or administer anything the cameras on the bus record. Videos and pictures will come to the Town for administration and then the summons would go out to the violator,” Scalara said.

Town Councilman Tom Hand noted that the fine of $250 is sent to the vehicle’s owner and there are no points assessed for a driver’s license. Town Supervisor Saladino explained that for