As I heard a speechmaker say one time a few years ago: "If I hear about just ONE more stupid law being passed 'for the children', I'm going to go out and kick one of the little bastards."
Although that was my first reaction, a second reading leads me to believe that that's not the case.
The wording says: Striking someone after passing the bus would become a felony.
It would more likely be a student, but an "ordinary pedestrian" is seemingly covered as well.
I know what you mean about the "it's for the children" nonsense, but this bill would make it the same as killing someone after running a red light or going through a stop sign. After all, as So9 points out, if the bus is stopped, it has a stop-sign sticking out and it has flashing orange lights.
As someone who, as an adult, was run down while in a crosswalk, I would say yes. Not seeing a pedestrian can be simple negligence. Driving past a bus with its sign out and its lights flashing is willful misconduct. If you can't see a schoolbus, you don't belong on the road.
Of course they're "more equal," you freaking moron. An adult is far more capable of taking care of himself in traffic than a seven-year-old...that little kid isn't even tall enough to be seen by drivers. That's why we have laws.
Here's one for you: Why don't you just ignore the stopped school bus, and flashing lights, and safety arm...and buzz on through? And then explain to the trooper: Hey there's not special protection for me when I get off a bus, why should these little kids get special priveleges?
I would also add that these laws are bad for children, because it teaches them that it's OK to cross the street on a red light.