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Representative Jim DeCesare Files Bill Encouraging Increased School Bus Safety in Kentucky

Resolution filed for 2016 encourages state agencies, school groups to place new emphasis on bus safety in wake of death of 5-year student in Butler County

Representative Jim DeCesare, R-Bowling Green (17th District), announced today he has filed a resolution for the upcoming 2016 Session of the General Assembly to increase school bus safety in Kentucky by encouraging the Kentucky Department of Education and other state agencies and education groups to increase awareness and training in local districts.

Rep. DeCesare says he filed the bill in response to the death of five-year old Jayden Hawkins in September of this year.  Hawkins, who was a kindergartener in Butler County, was struck and killed by a school bus shortly after he had gotten off the bus at his grandmother’s home.

“During the 2013-2014 school year, Kentucky’s school buses traveled more than 115 million miles without a single fatality.  Unfortunately since that time we’ve seen the tragic death of students like Jayden’s, and heard other stories of students being injured shortly after getting off a school bus,” said Rep. DeCesare.  “My resolution should not be seen as an indictment of the job our school buses drivers do on a daily basis, but simply to encourage state and local education leaders to double their efforts to protect the precious cargo they transport to and from school every day.”


Rep. DeCesare’s House Resolution does three things: first it encourages the Kentucky Center for School Safety to provide additional support to local districts by providing materials to raise awareness of school bus safety among young students and their families.  Second, it encourages the Kentucky Department of Education to provide additional training to local school districts and their school bus drivers that is specifically aimed toward the safety of young students.  And third, it encourages the Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA) to provide model policies to local school districts with the goal of providing greater safety for young students while boarding and disembarking from school buses.

If the bill is approved by the House and signed into law, it would direct the resolution be sent to all three agencies mentioned asking them to carry out the recommendations for improving school bus safety in Kentucky.

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