H-2206.1

HOUSE BILL 2054

ByRepresentatives Jacobsen, Walsh, Graham, Sutherland, Eslick, and Dent

AN ACT Relating to video recording devices for school buses; adding a new section to chapter 28A.160 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.160 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By September 1, 2023, all school buses that are primarily or exclusively used for the transportation of students with disabilities must be equipped with video recording devices for the purpose of documenting actions occurring in the interior of the bus during the students' transportation to and from school, which must be inclusive of the time between the students' entrance to and exit from the bus.

(2)(a) The school district must install, operate, and maintain the recording devices required by this section for school buses that are the property of the school district.

(b) The school district and the entity with which the school district contracts for the provision of student transportation shall, by mutual agreement, provide for the installation, operation, and maintenance of the recording devices required by this section for school buses that are not the property of the school district.

(3) Video recordings made in accordance with this section:

(a) Are the exclusive property of the school district and may not be viewed, transferred, or otherwise made available to other persons or entities without the express permission of the school district; and

(b) Must be retained and accessible to qualified school district personnel for a minimum of one year after the date of the recording.

(4) School districts shall revise or adopt policies as necessary to protect the privacy of students whose images are or may be captured in recordings required by this section. Policies adopted in accordance with this subsection must, at a minimum:

(a) Restrict access to the recordings to qualified personnel of the school district, qualified personnel of the entity employing the bus driver if the student transportation services are provided by a private entity, and school district employees whose images are or may be captured in the recordings; and

(b) Limit parental and legal guardian access to the recordings to only the parents and legal guardians of students whose images are or may be captured in the recordings.

(5) For the purposes of this section "to and from school" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.160.160.

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