LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As more school districts across the nation implement automated school bus stop-arm cameras, the Clark County School District is continuing to weigh the technology, too, as a way to catch and penalize drivers who unlawfully pass by school buses with their stop-arm out.
CCSD initially stated in a list of Frequently Asked Questions that it intended to have the cameras "installed and operational at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year." But less than a month out from the first day of school, and that's no longer the case. I'm digging into why.
This is a very novel concept to the state of Nevada, which historically has been resistant to automated traffic enforcement cameras. However, acknowledging the growing problem of reckless driving that's putting more students in danger, state legislators passed Assembly Bill 527 in 2025, which allows Nevada school districts to install and use a school bus infraction detection system.
Legislators pointed to a pilot program conducted by safety tech company Bus Patrol, which conducted the program in partnership with CCSD.
It found that over a span of just five months, more than 11,000 violations were caught on camera in Clark County from January 13 to May 23, 2025.
CCSD leaders expressed immediate interest in the concept upon the passage of AB527, and an item to approve a contract with vendor Verra Mobility appeared briefly on the school board agenda in February before it was abruptly pulled.
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A statement from Superintendent Jhone Ebert at the time read in part, "I am withdrawing this item from tonight’s agenda. As we have continued to evaluate the implementation models and the experiences of other jurisdictions across the country, several complex operational and administrative questions have emerged."
There was also some drama going on behind the scenes at the time. Bus Patrol had filed a 29-page protest, claiming CCSD staff who evaluated the bids were biased in favor of the company (Verra Mobility) that was set to be selected. Bus Patrol attorneys contended the district failed to check Verra's references and showed favoritism toward the company.
The ACLU of Nevada, while it was not opposed to AB527, also expressed concern about CCSD's RFP process and the vendor the district almost went forward with,
At the time, the VP of Verra expressed disappointment with the removal of the school board agenda item but said they were still committed to placing cameras on CCSD's massive school bus fleet — considered the largest in the country.
However, it's almost time to begin a new school year now, and still no sign of the cameras.
Wendell P. Williams, a former Nevada educator and assemblyman, and namesake of a Historic Westside elementary school, said it should be a "no-brainer."
"Are you concerned that school starts in less than a month and we're still not seeing movement on this?" I asked Williams.
"Very concerned, very concerned. I don't know why, but hopefully everybody has to know it's an issue that needs to be dealt with," he replied.
He said we must protect our most precious resource, our children, especially after a new report revealed the disturbing dangers local kids face daily, while just trying to get to and from school.
"It's a big issue and in this community especially, because we have a problem with fast drivers, speedy drivers," Williams said.
According to a recent report from the newly formed School Traffic Safety Working Group, there were 427 crashes involving students who attend Clark County public and private schools last school year — a 356% increase compared to the 2024-25 school year.
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"It's a very desperate time, and we need to move in this community right away. We need to do something about it right now," Williams said.
Local mother Alpha Rottin said she's seen a terrible disregard for student safety around her own kid's school in the southwest valley, and would like to see the cameras get installed.
"I think it's a good idea, because most people I see, they don't obey," Rottin said.
"Last time they almost ran over the crossing guard, so really I think they need to be more responsible and held accountable," she went on to say.
Fellow Las Vegas local Teal McMillan echoed those sentiments.
"I think it's a good idea. I think it would be very supportive; the children would have a sense of security," McMillan said.
So why the continued cold feet about the cameras? It seems CCSD still needs definitive answers to those questions and concerns they had back in February.
"We decided that we needed to do a little bit more research and do some homework to make sure that we can implement a legally sustainable program, one that is solely focused on student safety," said Felicia Gonzalez, Deputy Superintendent of Business Operations at CCSD.
She confirmed that questions about jurisdiction and the capacity of the system remain. Where do CCSD police officers have the jurisdiction to issue citations?
"We are currently making sure that we have that jurisdiction and that we have it in writing before we make any decision to move forward," Gonzalez said.
Although the district previously claimed to Channel 13's Senior Political Reporter Steve Sebelius in an email that its police department has jurisdiction wherever students are traveling to and from school, the Nevada Revised Statutes say school police only have authority to enforce traffic laws on roads adjacent to school facilities.
In addition, AB527 says the school district "shall" strike agreements with law-enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction in areas where school buses operate to review tickets before they are sent to alleged violators.
Gonzalez also noted that implementing this program would be a heavy lift, with more officers needed to review hours of footage from those stop-arm cameras.
"We have to finish doing our due diligence and making sure that any questions that are related to the implementation of this program have been answered," she said.
When I asked her if the cameras would be installed for the first day of school on August 10, as the district had initially intended, she said no, and could not provide a timeline as to when the process might move forward.
But when the cameras are installed, she noted that the goal isn't necessarily loads of tickets — it's changing driver behavior. She said that ultimately has to change.
"The hope is that year after year, the amount of citations goes down drastically," Gonzalez said.
If or when the system does get off the ground, AB527 requires a public awareness campaign lasting at least 30 days, and for the district to notify families about when enforcement and citations will begin.
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