State Rep. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington) and Mason County Eastern Superintendent Paul Shoup testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this week in support of legislation that would give local school leaders greater flexibility to protect students traveling to and from campus throughout the school day.

Under current law, reduced school zone speed limits are generally enforced only 30 minutes before and after school begins and ends. VanderWall’s House Bill 5651 would allow school superintendents to extend school zone speed limit enforcement periods and designate up to five enforcement periods each day.

“Student travel doesn’t only happen at the beginning and end of the school day,” VanderWall said. “Students regularly leave campus for dual enrollment, career-tech programs, field trips, and other educational opportunities. Our laws need to reflect that reality and give local schools the ability to protect students whenever they’re crossing busy roads.”

The legislation comes in response to the tragic event when 16-year-old Samantha Bateman was tragically killed in a collision at the intersection of U.S. 10 and Main Street while leaving the Mason County Eastern High School campus to attend a dual-enrollment course at West Shore Community College in February of 2025.

Superintendent Shoup shared that surviving students at the school question why the speed limit is 50 miles per hour in front of the school in the middle of the school day, when students regularly travel off campus for various reasons.

“I’m here today representing our grieving school community,” Shoup said. “The question we need to ask is – what can we do to make sure this never happens again? This bill is an important step in addressing those concerns.”

The plan would allow schools to establish additional enforcement periods when students are leaving campus or returning for activities such as dual enrollment classes, career and technical education programs, university partnerships, or field trips.

“Local school officials know their communities and understand when students are most at risk,” VanderWall said. “This bill puts decisions in the hands of the people closest to the situation. I urge the committee to take this opportunity to prevent future tragedies.”

Shoup said the school continues to grieve the loss of Samantha, and the Mason County Eastern community is dedicated to honoring her short life by making the roadways near the school safer for all students moving forward.

“We must stop future tragedies before they happen,” Shoup said. “One moment can change an entire community forever. If reducing speeds saves just one life across all of Michigan, then this legislation deserves this body’s support.”

HB 5651 remains under consideration by the committee.

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