HB 1537 · 2026 · House · Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee

Cameras for school bus violators

relative to the use of high resolution cameras to identify school bus stop light violators.

Allows high-resolution video recording devices to be affixed to school bus stop bars to identify vehicles that violate school bus stop-light laws.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · June 24, 2026

✓Introduced
✓House
✓Senate
✓Governor
✓Law

Analysis

This bill allows video recording devices to be affixed to school bus stop bars.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“The installation of a high resolution camera on a school bus stop bar may assist in identifying and convicting persons in violation of school bus laws.”

Section 175:1

“"Stop bar" means a mechanical arm that has a large "STOP" sign attached and flashing lights that extend from the side of a school bus.”

Section 175:2

“Such monitoring shall be in the form of a video recording device affixed to the stop bar of a school bus with adequate digital video storage for 2 weeks of continuous activation.”

Section 175:3

“"High resolution camera" means a camera with video recording that can record a person's face with enough clarity to identify them.”

Section 175:2

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Public testimony

14 signed in online · 7 wrote testimony

43% support50% oppose7% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Safety takes priority in my house and in public. As a parent to my two young children who are not even in grade school, it is my job to protect them the best that I can. It is unquestionable admit the reports being made about harm, violence and death that ICE had caused.…”

— Amanda Esposito, Webstersupports

“On the stop bar is perfect. That way it’s only recording when it needs to and nobody will lose their license based on some random “other witness”.”

— Margaret Konze, Pembrokesupports

“This bill is in direct violation of Article 2-b of the New Hampshire constitution, which states: [Art.] 2-b. [Right of Privacy.] An individual's right to live free from governmental intrusion in private or personal information is natural, essential, and inherent.”

— James Gardner, Keeneopposes

“I am respectfully requesting that you oppose bill HB1537, for the following reasons: - This bill introduces mass surveillance under the guise of public safety and it further to erodes the original intent of RSA 236:130, which was to prohibit highway surveillance.…”

— Teresa Brooks, Manchesteropposes

“No. The surveillance state is bad enough. Folks are already furious at schools for bankrupting the state. Imagine adding a revenue stream based on bad bus driving and spyware. This can go badly wrong a million ways. NO>”

— tom luther, claremontopposes

“I would approve use of dashcams or other in cabin devices, but putting recording devices outside the bus that read and identify drivers faces seems like it would create a roaming database for bad actors or government / state officials to use for nefarious purposes.…”

— Kelly Butler, Gilsumneutral

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay

Starting text: Bill as introduced

Feb 18, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Ought to Pass12–0
Overall
100% yea
Mar 11, 2026HouseVoice voteOught to Passadopted
Apr 23, 2026SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass4–0
Overall
100% yea
Apr 23, 2026SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
May 21, 2026SenateVoice voteEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-1998eadopted
Jun 4, 2026SenateVoice voteEnrolledadopted

Hearings and debates

Jan 30, 2026Public hearingHouse Criminal Justice and Public Safety2:27:35–2:30:563m 21slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
Mar 11, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamOught to Pass — adopted, voice vote
Apr 7, 2026Public hearingSenate Transportation10:31–11:2453slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
Apr 23, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
May 21, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-1998e — adopted, voice vote
May 21, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-1998e Adopted — voice vote
Jun 4, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Adopted — voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 1 P. 24
Jan 30, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/30/2026 12:00 pm GP 159
Feb 18, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/18/2026 12:00 pm GP 159
Feb 18, 2026HouseCommittee Report: Ought to Pass 02/18/2026 (Vote 12-0; CC) HC 10 P. 11
Mar 11, 2026HouseOught to Pass: MA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 15
Mar 12, 2026SenIntroduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Transportation; SJ 7
Apr 7, 2026SenHearing: 04/07/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 01:00 pm; SC 13
Apr 23, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass, 04/23/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 15
Apr 23, 2026SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/23/2026; SJ 10
May 21, 2026SenEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-1998e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 05/21/2026); SJ 14
May 21, 2026HouseEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-1998e: AA VV (in recess of) 05/21/2026 HJ 14 P. 39
Jun 4, 2026SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14
Jun 4, 2026HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
Jun 19, 2026HouseSigned by Governor Ayotte 06/19/2026; Chapter 175; eff. 09/17/2026

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.