‘School Bus Angels’ to stump for law in girl’s memory

DES MOINES, Iowa — As the 2012 Iowa legislative session opens
this week, each legislator is going to know all about the hopes for
Kadyn’s Law.

Kim Koenigs of Osage and Kadyn Halverson’s family — especially
mom Kari — have made sure of it.

They will all begin Monday to lobby for the law to increase
school bus safety. They will be immediately recognizable, dressed
in bright pink T-shirts emblazoned with a picture of the 7-year-old
Kensett girl.

Kadyn died from injuries received when struck by a hit-and-run
driver while she was attempting to board her school bus in May
2011.

Koenigs and Halverson unpacked hundreds of books at the Capitol
on Wednesday — thick, bright pink binders entitled, “Kadyn’s
Law.” On the front is a picture of a smiling Kadyn, wearing a
backpack and standing in front of a school bus.

“We’ve worked for seven months,” said Koenigs, who also is
executive director of Worth County Development Authority.

Each Iowa legislator will receive one of the books — books
filled with letters of support, research and the details of the
proposed law that would make riding school buses safer.

The very first letter is an emotional account from Halverson
written about Kadyn’s death and the days following the tragedy.

“I laid in bed … wondering how I will ever be able to go on
without my beautiful, full-of-life little girl? I feel that often
and I live with the pain of losing my daughter every day. It’s a
hole in my heart that nothing can ever fix. The pain is beyond
words.”

But Halverson is determined that Kadyn’s death will spur change
in bus safety.

The proposed law includes stiffer penalties for violators, with
increased fines, jail and prison time, depending on the level of
violation. The law also asks for bus cameras and a ban on use of
all electronic devices in bus zones, among other things.

Koenigs and Halverson, members of the Farm Bureau and parents of
“School Bus Angels,” as Halverson calls them, will all lobby
legislators.

Among the parents will be Andy and Lori Key, whose 5-year-old
son, Nathan, died upon exiting a Mississippi school bus in 2009.
They successfully fought to pass “Nathan’s Law,” and a good part of
the proposed Kadyn’s Law incorporates some of its content.

“We are hoping that we can work together to change bus laws
nationally,” Halverson said.

Halverson said although a hard year, the work on Kadyn’s Law has
kept her and her family busy.

Koenigs got involved in the effort when she emailed the family
with an idea of changing the law, shortly after Kadyn’s death. She
was a friend of another family member.

In the meantime, Halverson and her family had been mulling over
the same idea.

She said when she saw Koenigs’ email, she said, “That’s it; we
have to meet this person.”

Halverson is quick to applaud Koenigs’ tireless work.

“If it wasn’t for Kim, I would have no idea” how to proceed, she
said.

Koenigs researched every state’s law, gathered accident
statistics, and studied the work done by other parents to change
laws. That research has all ended up in Kadyn’s book.

“I wanted to be able to say, ‘Read this. Tell me how you can
read this and not support this law,’ ” Koenigs said.