Bill Text - HB1687 (2020)

(New Title) relative to the installation of audio and video surveillance equipment in special education school buses.


Revision: March 13, 2020, 2:08 a.m.

HB 1687-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

12Mar2020... 0676h

2020 SESSION

20-2647

06/08

 

HOUSE BILL 1687-FN

 

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

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Grossman, Rock. 18; Rep. Wazir, Merr. 17; Rep. Schultz, Merr. 18; Rep. Berrien, Rock. 18; Rep. W. Thomas, Hills. 21; Rep. Murphy, Hills. 21; Rep. Levesque, Straf. 4; Rep. Mulligan, Graf. 12; Rep. Petrigno, Hills. 23; Rep. Maes, Graf. 6

 

COMMITTEE: Education

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires audio and 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.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

12Mar2020... 0676h 20-2647

06/08

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

 

AN ACT relative to the installation of audio and 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; Audio/Video Surveillance Equipment.  Amend the subdivision heading following RSA 266:30 to read as follows:

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

Audio/Video Surveillance Equipment

2  School Bus Equipment; Audio/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 Audio/Video Surveillance Equipment.

3  New Paragraph; School Bus Equipment; Audio/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 audio/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 audio and 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 audio and 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 audio and video recordings will be retained and the method for disposal.

5  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

 

LBAO

20-2647

Revised 1/13/20

 

HB 1687-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

LOCAL:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

 

 

 

 

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires the installation and operation of video surveillance cameras on all school buses provided through special education services related to a student’s individualized education program.  The Department does not have information on how many such buses are in operation that would be subject to this bill, nor the cost of installation and operation of cameras, and therefore is unable to estimate this bill’s impact on local school district expenditures.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Education