Report raises ethical questions about State Rep. Vicki Lopez's support of school bus camera laws
MIAMI - State Rep. Vicki Lopez is facing scrutiny as she campaigns to keep her state legislator seat. An investigative report by the nonprofit news organization The Tributary raised potential ethical questions about Lopez and her support of school bus camera laws.
These are laws that benefit a company where her son works.
As of this report, a source told CBS News Miami that there is no complaint, investigation or pending charges against Lopez.
On Friday morning, Lopez told CBS News Miami she denies using political influence to benefit her son or the company he works for, BusPatrol. It's the company Miami-Dade County Public Schools partners with to ticket drivers who don't legally stop for school buses.
"I think it's just another attempt by a reporter in Jacksonville to try to discredit BusPatrol, one, and two myself," Lopez said.
CBS News Miami saw Lopez greeting supporters at a campaign event in Coral Gables on Friday morning. She is seeking re-election to represent Florida House District 113.
Lopez co-sponsored House Bill 741 in 2023. It allows school districts to use cameras to ticket drivers who ignore bus stop signals. Months after it was signed into law, her son, Donald Wolfe, was named vice president of government relations for BusPatrol, a company that outfits school buses with technology to record vehicles violating the law.
"I'm about child safety," Lopez said "My son was not working for BusPatrol at the time, so, I don't know what that issue was about."
BusPatrol, where her son works, partners with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
BusPatrol told CBS News Miami in response to our questions that it hired Lopez's son months after entering into an agreement with Miami-Dade Public Schools in August of 2023.
"Donnie Wolfe started at Bus Patrol in October of 2023 and still works for the company as its VP of Government Relations," wrote the BusPatrol spokesperson. "It is important to point out that Donnie never worked for the school board, the county or the school district. He worked only for the City of Miami and was hired after the agreement with BusPatrol was approved."
"Bus Patrol's mission is to protect every child in the communities that we serve on their commute to and from school," the spokesperson said about the company's mission, "Student safety is our absolute number one priority."
During the following legislative session in 2024, Lopez voted in favor of a House bill that permits school districts to enter into agreements with private vendors to share in the revenue of bus camera traffic citations.
CBS News Miami asked Lopez: "Do you think you should have disclosed that your son, at that point, works for that company?"
Lopez: "So, no. So, the rules in the House and the statutes are very clear: the bill was not vendor-specific; it wasn't region-specific. I'm not required to."
CBS News Miami called the Florida House General Counsel Office to confirm. They did not respond in time for this story.
"It's a part-time job everyone has, you know, a profession," Lopez said. "We're voting on all kinds of different industry bills. And imagine if we all had to have a memorandum of voting conflict, no one would ever be able to vote on anything."
The Tributary report also alleged Lopez contacted a fellow lawmaker to help introduce her son to Duval School Board District officials.
"Quite frankly, I have other members who asked me for help with their children," Lopez said. "I think it's just a part of being friends and colleagues and you do that."
CBS News Miami asked:: "Did you make an introduction in Miami-Dade for your son between him and..."
Lopez said: "I didn't need to do that. My son has his own career, and he's well known here in Miami."
Lopez questions the report's timing, which is close to election day. She maintains she did nothing wrong.