HB 1708

                                                PRINTER'S NO.   2100
                THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
                    HOUSE BILL
                    No. 1708
                                          Session of
                                            2025
INTRODUCED BY CONKLIN, HILL-EVANS, GUZMAN, GUENST, SANCHEZ,
   RIVERA AND MERSKI, JULY 8, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, JULY 8, 2025
                               AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2    Statutes, in licensing of drivers, further providing for
3    schedule of convictions and points; in rules of the road in
4    general, further providing for meeting or overtaking school
5    bus; in other required equipment, further providing for
6    general requirements for other vehicles transporting school
7    children; and making editorial changes.
8    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10    Section 1.    Section 1535(a) of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania
11 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
12 § 1535.   Schedule of convictions and points.
13    (a)    General rule.--A point system for driver education and
14 control is hereby established which is related to other
15 provisions for use, suspension and revocation of the operating
16 privilege as specified under this title. Every driver licensed
17 in this Commonwealth who is convicted of any of the following
18 offenses shall be assessed points as of the date of violation in
19 accordance with the following schedule:
20    Section Number  Offense  Points
1      1512  Violation of restriction on
2driver's license.  2
3      1571  Violation concerning license.    3
4      3102  Failure to obey policeman or
5authorized person.  2
6      3111.1  Obedience to traffic-control
7devices warning of hazardous
8conditions.  2
9      3112(a)(3)(i)   Failure to stop for a red
10  or (ii)  light.  3
11      3114(a)(1)      Failure to stop for a flashing
12red light.  3
13      3302  Failure to yield half of
14roadway to oncoming vehicle.     3
15      3303  Improper passing.  3
16      3304  Other improper passing.  3
17      3305  Other improper passing.  3
18      3306(a)(1)      Other improper passing.  4
19      3306(a)(2)      Other improper passing.  3
20      3306(a)(3)      Other improper passing.  3
21      3307  Other improper passing.  3
22      3310  Following too closely.  3
23      3321  Failure to yield to driver on
24the right at intersection.       3
25      3322  Failure to yield to oncoming
26driver when making left turn.    3
27      3323(b)  Failure to stop for stop sign.   3
28      3323(c)  Failure to yield at yield
29sign.  3
30      3324  Failure to yield when entering
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1or crossing roadway between
2intersections.  3
3      3327(a) or     Duty of driver in emergency
4  (a.1)  response area and in relation
5to disabled vehicles.  2
6      3332  Improper turning around.  3
7      3341(a)        Failure to obey signal
8indicating approach of train.    2
9      3341(b)        Failure to comply with
10crossing gate or barrier.        4
11(and 30 days' suspension)
12      3342(b) or (e) Failure to stop at railroad
13crossings.  4
14      3344  Failure to stop when entering
15from alley, driveway or
16building.  3
17      3345(a) or     Failure to stop for school bus
18  (f.1)  with flashing red lights.        5
19(and 60 days' suspension)
20      3345(f.2)(1)   Failure to stop for school
21vehicle.  5
22(and 60 days' suspension)
23      3361  Driving too fast for
24conditions.  2
25      3362  Exceeding maximum speed.--Over
26Limit:
276-10  2
2811-15        3
2916-25        4
3026-30        5
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131-over     5
2(and departmental hearing
3and sanctions provided
4under section 1538(d))
53365(b)  Exceeding special speed limit
6in school zone.  3
7(and 60 days' suspension
8for a second or subsequent
9offense)
103365(c)  Exceeding special speed limit
11for trucks on downgrades.  3
123542(a)  Failure to yield to pedestrian
13in crosswalk.  2
143547  Failure to yield to pedestrian
15on sidewalk.  3
163549(a)  Failure to yield to blind
17pedestrian.  3
183702  Improper backing.  3
193714(a)  Careless driving.  3
203745  Leaving scene of accident
21involving property damage
22only.  4
23    * * *
24    Section 2.       Section 1553(d)(11) of Title 75, amended October
25 16, 2024 (P.L.992, No.103), is amended to read:
26 § 1553.    Occupational limited license.
27    * * *
28    (d)    Unauthorized issuance.--The department shall prohibit
29 issuance of an occupational limited license to:
30* * *
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1(11)    Any person whose operating privilege has been
2    suspended or revoked as the result of a conviction of or as a
3    result of a court order in conjunction with an adjudication
4    of delinquency or the granting of a consent decree for any
5    offense under the following provisions, unless the suspension
6    or revocation has been fully served:
7Section 3345(a) (relating to meeting or overtaking
8school bus or school vehicle).
9Section 3367 (relating to racing on highways and
10trafficways).
11Any violation of Ch. 37 Subch. B (relating to serious
12traffic offenses) or C (relating to accidents and
13accident reports).
14* * *
15    Section 3.       Section 3101(b) of Title 75 is amended to read:
16 § 3101.    Application of part.
17    * * *
18    (b)    Serious traffic offenses.--The provisions of section
19 3345 (relating to meeting or overtaking school bus or school
20 vehicle), Subchapter B of Chapter 37 (relating to serious
21 traffic offenses) and Chapter 38 (relating to driving after
22 imbibing alcohol or utilizing drugs) shall apply upon highways
23 and trafficways throughout this Commonwealth.
24    Section 4.       Section 3345 heading, (g) and (j) of Title 75 are
25 amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to
26 read:
27 § 3345.    Meeting or overtaking school bus or school vehicle.
28    * * *
29    (f.2)    School vehicles.--
30(1)    At speeds of 35 miles per hour or less, the driver
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1    of a school vehicle shall activate the school vehicle's
2    hazard warning lights, otherwise known as four-way flashers,
3    not less than 100 feet traveled before stopping. At speeds in
4    excess of 35 miles per hour, the hazard warning lights shall
5    be activated not less than 300 feet traveled before stopping.
6(2)   The driver of a vehicle traveling in the same
7    direction as a school vehicle shall not pass or overtake the
8    school vehicle:
9(i)    While the school vehicle is stopped to pick up
10or discharge school children.
11(ii)    Immediately preceding and following the school
12vehicle's stop.
13(iii)    While the school vehicle has activated four-
14way flashers.
15(3)   Except as provided in subsection (g), the driver of
16    a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction as a school
17    vehicle shall proceed past the school vehicle using caution,
18    and whenever possible shall do so at a reduced speed.
19    (g)   Exceptions from stopping requirements.--The driver of a
20 vehicle upon a highway or trafficway with separate roadways need
21 not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus with actuated red
22 signal lights which is on a different roadway or a school
23 vehicle which is on a different roadway.
24    * * *
25    (j)   Penalty.--A person who violates subsection (a) [or],
26 (f.1) or (f.2) commits a summary offense and shall, upon
27 conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $250 and a $35
28 surcharge. The surcharge shall be deposited into the School Bus
29 Safety Grant Program Account.
30    Section 5.        Sections 3345.1(a.1)(1), 4552(b), 4553(a)(2) and
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1 (c) and 6506(a)(3) of Title 75 are amended to read:
2 § 3345.1.       Automated enforcement of failure to stop for school
3bus with flashing red lights.
4    * * *
5    (a.1)    Violation and liability.--
6(1)    A motor vehicle meeting or overtaking a school bus
7    stopped on a highway or trafficway when the red signal lights
8    on the school bus are flashing and the side stop signal arms
9    are activated as described in section 3345 (relating to
10    meeting or overtaking school bus or school vehicle) is a
11    violation of this section.
12* * *
13 § 4552.    General requirements for school buses.
14    * * *
15    (b)    Visual signals.--In addition to the applicable lighting
16 requirements of Chapter 43 (relating to lighting equipment)
17 every school bus shall be equipped with a uniform front and rear
18 system of red and amber visual signals for the warning and
19 control of traffic during route operations as provided in
20 section 3345 (relating to meeting or overtaking school bus or
21 school vehicle) and in regulations of the department.
22    * * *
23 § 4553.    General requirements for other vehicles transporting
24school children.
25    (a)    Buses operated by urban mass transportation systems.--
26* * *
27(2)    Buses, other than school buses, operated by urban
28    mass transportation systems for the exclusive or nonexclusive
29    transportation of school children may, at the option of the
30    urban mass transportation system, be equipped with flashing
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1    red and amber lights and may be identified by appropriate
2    labeling as carrying school children. This equipment and
3    identifying labels shall conform to those regulations which
4    may be issued by the department under this paragraph.
5    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, buses which are
6    operated by urban mass transportation systems and which are
7    equipped and identified in accordance with this paragraph,
8    shall be considered school buses for purposes of section
9    3345(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (j) (relating to
10    meeting or overtaking school bus or school vehicle). The
11    department may issue those regulations it deems appropriate
12    to implement this paragraph.
13    * * *
14    (c)    [Other vehicles.--A motor vehicle used to transport
15 children to or from school or in connection with school
16 activities, which is not a school bus because of its limited
17 seating capacity,] School vehicles.--A school vehicle shall
18 comply with regulations established by the department for such
19 vehicles. Unless required by Federal law or regulation, the
20 regulations established by the department shall not require
21 school vehicles which pick up and discharge school children only
22 at locations off the highway to be of any particular color or to
23 display flashing red and amber lights. The department shall
24 establish additional identification requirements for school
25 vehicles that pick up and discharge school children on a highway
26 or trafficway. These requirements shall, at a minimum, provide
27 for additional lighting and signage on the roof to be activated
28 when picking up or discharging students on a highway or
29 trafficway.
30 § 6506.    Surcharge.
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1    (a)   Levy and imposition.--In addition to any fines, fees or
2 penalties levied or imposed as provided by law, under this title
3 or any other statute, a surcharge shall be levied for
4 disposition in accordance with subsection (b) as follows:
5* * *
6(3)   Upon conviction for a violation of section 3345(a)
7    (relating to meeting or overtaking school bus or school
8    vehicle), a surcharge of $75.
9* * *
10    Section 6.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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