Klicker introduces bill to protect school bus drivers and students
By Terry Murry on Monday, January 29th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – State Rep. Mark Klicker (R-Walla Walla) has introduced House Bill 2133, that would protect the safety and security of students and maintain order within public school buses by designating trespassing on a public school bus as a felony offense. It would also allow for warning signs to be posted on all public school buses in a manner easily visible for everyone to see.
The Richard A. Lenhart Act is named after the 72-year-old bus driver who was stabbed to death in 2021 by a man who entered a school bus full of children outside Longfellow Elementary in Pasco.
A person would be guilty of a “school bus trespass” offense if he or she knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a public school bus or does any other intentional act that disrupts the normal operation of the bus.
It would apply to any vehicle owned, leased, or operated by a public school district or education institution for the purpose of transporting students to and from school or school-related activities.
If the policy becomes law, school districts and educational institutions would have to implement educational programs and awareness campaigns to educate students, parents, and the community about the importance of maintaining safety and security on public school buses.
They would also have to collaborate with local law enforcement to establish protocols and procedures to ensure effective enforcement of the law. The bill now waits for a vote from the House Community Safety, Justice, and Reentry Committee.
