Florida Senate - 2020                                     SB 290
       
       
        
       By Senator Hooper
       
       
       
       
       
       16-00443-20                                            2020290__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to school bus safety; amending s.
    3         318.18, F.S.; revising civil penalties for certain
    4         violations relating to stopping for a school bus;
    5         providing an effective date.
    6          
    7  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    8  
    9         Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (5) of
   10  section 318.18, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   11         318.18 Amount of penalties.—The penalties required for a
   12  noncriminal disposition pursuant to s. 318.14 or a criminal
   13  offense listed in s. 318.17 are as follows:
   14         (5)(a) Two One hundred dollars for a violation of s.
   15  316.172(1)(a), failure to stop for a school bus. If, at a
   16  hearing, the alleged offender is found to have committed this
   17  offense, the court shall impose a minimum civil penalty of $200
   18  $100. In addition to this penalty, for a second or subsequent
   19  offense within a period of 5 years, the department shall suspend
   20  the driver license of the person for not less than 180 90 days
   21  and not more than 1 year 6 months.
   22         (b) Four Two hundred dollars for a violation of s.
   23  316.172(1)(b), passing a school bus on the side that children
   24  enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal. If,
   25  at a hearing, the alleged offender is found to have committed
   26  this offense, the court shall impose a minimum civil penalty of
   27  $400 $200. In addition to this penalty, for a second or
   28  subsequent offense within a period of 5 years, the department
   29  shall suspend the driver license of the person for not less than
   30  360 180 days and not more than 2 years 1 year.
   31         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.