HB-4054, As Passed House, December 12, 2017

HB-4054, As Passed Senate, December 12, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUBSTITUTE FOR

 

HOUSE BILL NO. 4054

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1990 PA 187, entitled

 

"The pupil transportation act,"

 

(MCL 257.1801 to 257.1877) by adding section 12.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 12. (1) In addition to any other warning signals required

 

by this act, a school bus may be equipped with a flashing advisory

 

sign for the purpose of warning the operators of other vehicles of

 

the presence of a traffic hazard requiring the use of unusual care

 

in approaching, overtaking, or passing. A flashing advisory sign

 

described in this subsection shall meet all of the following

 

requirements:

 

     (a) The sign shall be mounted on the rear of the school bus in

 

an area that does not interfere with compliance with the

 

requirements of section 19 or 33.

 


     (b) The sign shall display warning messages to motorists in

 

accordance with all of the following:

 

     (i) The sign shall be sealed and weathertight, and shall be

 

23.5 by 8.75 by 1.5 inches in size.

 

     (ii) The sign shall be connected to the school bus safety

 

lights.

 

     (iii) The sign shall alternately flash the word messages

 

"caution" and "stopping" when the amber school bus safety lights

 

are activated. The letters in the word messages described in this

 

subparagraph shall be amber and shall be at least 1.5 inches tall.

 

The word messages described in this subparagraph may be controlled

 

by the hazard lights or school bus safety light flashers.

 

     (iv) The sign shall flash the word message "stop" or "do not

 

pass" when the red school bus safety lights are activated. The

 

letters in the word messages described in this subparagraph shall

 

be red and shall be at least 1.5 inches tall. The word messages

 

described in this subparagraph may be controlled by the hazard

 

lights or school bus safety light flashers.

 

     (v) The sign shall flash the word message "caution" or

 

"caution stopping" when the hazard lights are activated. The

 

letters in the word messages described in this subparagraph shall

 

be amber and shall be at least 1.5 inches tall. The word messages

 

described in this subparagraph may be controlled by the hazard

 

lights or school bus safety light flashers.

 

     (vi) The sign shall flash the word message "caution" when the

 

back-up lights are activated. The letters in the word message

 

described in this subparagraph shall be amber and shall be at least


1.5 inches tall. The word messages described in this subparagraph

 

may be controlled by the hazard lights or school bus safety light

 

flashers.

 

     (vii) The sign shall have a minimum viewing angle of 15

 

degrees on each side of the perpendicular axis.

 

     (viii) The word messages described in subparagraphs (iii) to

 

(vi) shall be clearly visible in direct sunlight from a distance of

 

500 feet along the axis of the school bus.

 

     (ix) Regardless of the type of lighting used for illumination,

 

each warning message displayed by the sign shall include a complete

 

light quality arrangement to fully and clearly convey the intended

 

warning message to approaching motorists.

 

     (2) An electronic sign that displays warning messages to

 

motorists may be placed on the front of a school bus if all of the

 

following are satisfied:

 

     (a) A flashing advisory sign has been mounted on the rear of

 

the school bus as provided in subsection (1)(a).

 

     (b) The sign is wired only to the amber and red school bus

 

safety lights.

 

     (c) The sign is mounted below the windshield, vertically

 

centered, and does not create a vision obstruction for the driver

 

of the school bus.

 

     (3) A sign described in subsections (1) and (2) shall comply

 

with all of the following:

 

     (a) The sign shall be uniform in design and in operation, and

 

each sign placed on a school bus as provided in this section shall

 

display the same advisory warnings.


     (b) The sign shall automatically energize when the school

 

bus's hazard lights are activated, shall comply with section 19(3),

 

and shall automatically de-energize when the school bus service

 

door is closed.

 

     (c) The sign shall be properly maintained and operated as

 

designed by the manufacturer.

 

     (4) This section may be referred to as the "Privacky Law".