by Sen. James L. Seward, A Column of News & Comment

Summer will soon turn to fall and along with the change of season will come a change in lifestyle for our young people as school bells ring once again.

For many students it is a return to a familiar routine, but for some it is the start of a whole new world.

For all of us, it is a time to think of safety first.

In New York State, approximately 50,000 drivers illegally pass a school bus every day.

This illegal practice endangers the lives of children trying to get to and from school – and it must be stopped.

In order to combat this dangerous and illegal behavior, New York has instituted Operation Safe Stop.

The cooperative project is supported by the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the New York State Education Department, the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, the New York State School Bus Contractors Association, the student transportation industry and state, county, city and local law enforcement agencies.

Their mission is to promote school bus safety through education enforcement efforts.

The first thing a motorist needs to know is the law itself, which can vary a bit from state to state.

In New York the law states:• Drivers must stop when the school bus red lights are flashing;

• Even on divided, multilane highways or school grounds, drivers are required to stop for flashing red lights;

• Penalties for illegally passing a school bus range from $250–$1,000 fines, points on your license, and/or possible imprisonment.

That final point is one that needs to be addressed further.

The penalties for illegally passing a school bus are simply too light.

Current law provides that an individual convicted two or more times of speeding in a construction zone be subject to a sixtyday suspension of his or her drivers’ license.

Passing a stopped school bus two or more times however, does not currently carry such a penalty.

There is no doubt that passing a stopped school bus possesses as much, if not more, risk to life and limb as speeding in a construction zone and should carry appropriate penalties.

The state senate has overwhelmingly passed legislation (S.3099) I strongly support that would increase penalties for illegally passing a stopped school bus.

I am hopeful the assembly will take up this important public safety measure as well.

On another, more positive note—some good news for parents who are absorbed in back to school shopping.

Preparing our kids for a new school year can be a fun and exciting time, but with so many families feeling an economic crunch these days, it can be a stressful time as well.

That’s why I wanted to remind you of some good news that is sure to help your back-to-school budget.

This year’s state budget brought to an end the state sales tax on clothing and shoe purchases up to $110.

Clothing purchases can be a big part of a family budget, and I was pleased to support this tax cut to help hardworking New Yorkers keep more money in their pockets.

Repealing the sales tax on clothing is projected to save a typical family of four nearly $200 a year.

In addition to the new “Middle Class Tax Cut” that slashed income tax rates to their lowest levels in 58 years, as well as the new property tax cap that’s finally helping to curb runaway school property taxes, the clothing tax repeal is another way I am working to bring relief to hardworking taxpayers.

Think of it as the 4 percent off sale that never ends.