DES MOINES, Iowa — A deadly bus accident in far Northern Iowa last May could prompt stiffer penalties for drivers who ignore school bus safety signals. A bill called “Kadyn’s Law” was brought up by an Iowa Senate subcommittee on Tuesday. It’s named for Kadyn Halverson, a seven-year-old from Kensett in Worth County. Halverson died last May after a driver ignored a “stop arm” on her school bus and struck her.

Aaron Gunderson, 32, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in her death and was sentenced by a judge last month.

State law requires drivers to slow down when school buses begin flashing amber lights. Drivers can’t pass the bus in either direction when the “stop arm” is extended on the side. The bill, SF 2021, would not change those requirements. But it would make the penalties more severe and also call for a statewide study to see if all buses should carry outside cameras.

Bus drivers like Jerry Lentz of the College Community District, say it’s not unusual for drivers to see motorists who illegally pass a stopped school bus. In fact, considering all the drivers in a district together, it’s almost an everyday occurrence. “Personally over the course of a year, I’m guessing between 10 and 20 times for me. It’s very difficult to catch these people because you’re worried about children getting on your bus,” Lentz said.

Scott Grabe, College Community Transit Manager, said he reports about 200 violators a year to police. But that’s only the ones where bus drivers catch a license number. Many more violations every year go unreported.

Right now, current Iowa law sets a $200 fine for anyone illegally passing a stopped school bus. The “Kadyn’s Law” bill would boost that to as much as $675 for a first offense. And as a simple misdemeanor, a violation could also possibly call for some jail time. Second violators would face a serious misdemeanor charge and up to a year in jail as well as a larger fine.

Grabe said that’s what it may take to convince drivers to obey the law. “Whether it’s impatience, not knowing the law — whatever the excuse for going through a stop arm. If you’ve got kids out and about going where they need to go then every single one of them (violations) is a dangerous situation, “ Grabe said.

Right now, many school buses have inside cameras to monitor student behavior. The bill would also require a study to determine, among other things, if all school buses should carry outside cameras as well to monitor student safety and record any traffic violations.

Members of the Senate subcommittee passed the legislation on during a noon meeting. It could go to a full Senate committee in Des Moines next week.