[Izzy Dunne]

The penalty is greater than if an "ordinary" pedestrian gets hit?

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.

[Hank Rearden]

It would more likely be a student, but an "ordinary pedestrian" is seemingly covered as well.

I take your point, but what's next?
Perhaps Striking someone after passing the dump truck would become a felony.???

So school buses are special, but if you whack somebody by negligently passing a beerwagon it's not so bad?

I hope you see the sarcasm here.