House Bill 653

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-41-47, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT FOR SCHOOL BUSES ON INTERSTATES AND CERTAIN HIGHWAYS WHILE ON AUTHORIZED TRIPS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-41-47, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-41-47. Except as otherwise provided in this section, itshall be unlawful for a driver of any school bus, whether a public or a contract bus, to drive the bus at a speed greater than forty-five (45) miles per hour while transporting children to and from school on regular routes. * * * Any such driver, while operating a school bus on other authorized trips, shall not drive the school bus at a speed greater than fifty (50) miles per hour on streets and highways having less than four (4) lanes or sixty (60) miles per hour on portions of the Interstate Highway System and divided highways having four (4) or more lanes. However, if the maximum speed limit posted on any street, highway or portion of the Interstate Highway System is lower than the speed limit established for school buses under this section, the driver of a school bus may not drive the bus at a speed greater than the posted speed limit. Any person who shall violate the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) nor more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each such offense. In addition thereto, upon such conviction, such driver may be discharged from further employment as a school bus driver or carrier, and his contract as such may be terminated.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2006.