On Jan. 27, during a Waltham City Council meeting, Ward Nine Councilor Robert Logan introduced a resolution that the city council adopt a recently approved state law that allows for school districts to use bus mounted cameras to identify and issue fines against drivers that pass stopped school buses. This Local Option Act requires the City of Waltham to adopt the new law and for the Waltham School Committee to provide consent through a vote of a majority in order for it to be implemented. 

In his address to the council, Logan acknowledged the irony of his proposal, given his typically libertarian stance on government surveillance. “It’s a little strange that I’m actually up here being the one proposing this, because when it comes to government surveillance. I’m a bit of a libertarian,” the ward nine counselor said. “I don’t like red light cameras, I don’t like speed cameras, I don’t like the license plate readers the police use, I don’t like this proliferation of surveillance cameras in public areas … But in this case, I’m willing to make an exception.” 

The counselor adds that driving around a school bus that has its stop sign out is a “jerk move.” Logan makes a distinction between school buses and public transportation buses, noting that Massachusetts Bay Transport Authority buses are primarily used by adults, who are “capable of rational thought.” In contrast, he points out, children — whose brains are still developing — can be impulsive and often run in front of traffic when getting off a school bus. This makes the stop signs on school buses a crucial safety measure that needs to be enforced.

Ward Eight Councilor Cathyann Harris voiced support for the proposal, citing a recent bus accident on Jan. 17, in which some of her constituents were involved. The crash, which occurred at the intersection of Lexington and Beaver Street, involved a school bus, a van and another vehicle. Six students from the Waltham Dual Language School and the van driver were taken to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, as reported by Columbia Broadcasting System News.

“I think as we try to manage speed and traffic and control some of those safety concerns in our community, I think that it’s important that we also look at this,” Harris said, referring the new state law that is also known as “An Act concerning the safety of school children embarking and disembarking school buses.” For Harris, “it is not a question of if this will happen” as “it already has happened.” She adds that this step of monitoring is “not necessarily surveillance” but rather  “more of a deterrent.” 

On Jan. 10, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed the bill into law, allowing the use of school bus-mounted cameras. If approved by the city council and school committee, school buses equipped with violation detection monitoring systems would be required to post signage indicating that the system is in use. The system must generate evidence files, which would include a live video image, a recorded video of the vehicle’s license plate, and details of the date, time and location of the violation. Recordings that do not show a violation will be destroyed within 30 days, while those that identify a violation will be kept for no more than one year after the final legal disposition.

If a penalty is imposed for a violation, it will not be treated as a criminal conviction or moving violation, but will be noted on the registered owner or operator’s driving record. The fines, which are consistent with existing law under Section 14 of Massachusetts General Laws, will be as follows: no less than $250 for a first offense; between $500 and $1,000 for a second offense and no less than $1,000 for a third or subsequent offense.

Nine city council members have signed on to the resolution, including Robert Logan from Ward Nine; Sean Durkee from Ward Six; Bill Hanley from Ward Three; Cathyann Harris from Ward Eight; Paul S. Katz from Ward Seven; Joseph P. LaCava, the Council Vice President from Ward Five; Thomas M. Stanley, Councillor At Large; Colleen Bradley-MacArthur, Councillor At Large and John J. McLaughlin, the Council President from Ward Four. The resolution has been sent to the Ordinances and Rules Committee for further discussions.