Andy and Lori Key and dozens of friends and family members loaded a chartered bus at about 5:45 a.m. and headed for the State Capitol in Jackson to lobby for the support of a bill that is now known as Nathan’s Law.
The bill, authored by State Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-Ellisville), is designed to tighten school bus safety and penalize those who break the law by passing stopped school buses.
McDaniel introduced the bill in memory of the Key’s 5-year-old son, Nathan, who was struck by a car and killed Dec. 11 after he got off of a school bus in front of his home in Laurel. Authorities have charged Dominic Gebben with manslaughter and felony fleeing the scene. Gebben was accused of trying to pass the stopped school bus.
“We’ve been trying to get the bill passed since the first part of February,” said Andy Key. “It passed in the Senate without any problems and we expected it to do the same in the House. For some reason, it has remained in committee for weeks.”
Since Tuesday was the last day the House Judiciary A Committee to act on the bill before it died on the Legislative calendar, Key supporters journey with them to the Capitol to as House members to “protect our kids.”
The group left Laurel at 6:14 a.m. thinking that the committee had not yet taken any action on the bill, but a few miles outside of Laurel Lori Key stood near the center of the bus and shared information that left bus riders in dismay.
“We got a call about 5:45 (p.m.) yesterday saying that Mr. (Edward) Blackmon has allowed the bill to committee with many amendments attached to it,” said Lori, vividly upset by Blackmon’s actions. “Some of the amendments or changes they made deal with our desire for a 30-foot buffer zone around a stopped school bus, as well as holding the owner of a vehicle responsible if someone driving their vehicle drives around a stopped school bus.”
Lori said the committee also decided to change the requirement that only hands-free cell phones be used by motorists in school zones.
“We talked to Chris (McDaniel) at about 10 p.m. last night and thought that we should still come. Now we will be rallying for them to keep the meat in the bill and not water it down.”
In addition to family and friends, the Keys were joined at the Capitol by McDaniel, Jones County Sheriff Alex Hodge and members of his department, Jones County Schools Superintendent Steve Thrash and members of the district transportation department, Deborah Warren of the District Attorney’s Office and Jim Walley, Jones County Junior College’s Vice President of External Affairs.
“We just want to help get this bill passed,” said Warren. “We are here to support this family and to help lobby for all of the children, not only in Jones County, but all of the state, country and nation.”
Bob Taylor of Soso added, “I have four children of my own and they are in school in Jones County.
“I’m here because I want people to know that if you pass a stopped school bus, it should be a felony. I want to show my support of this family as well.”
Hodge was among those to speak at a 10 a.m. press conference in support of Nathan’s Law. He said since Nathan’s death he has been conducting sting operations to catch drivers who pass school buses. The sheriff said two people received $375 tickets for going around a stopped bus.
“The first one we stopped said he was half-asleep,” said Hodge. “The second one said he didn’t see the school bus.
“I don’t understand it,” continued Hodge. “How can you not see a school bus?”
Local News
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Photo/Charlotte A. Graham
Residents show support for Nathan’s Law
Make early morning trek to State Capitol
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