Evolving State Laws on Seat Belts in School Buses to Promote Acce

Although no ideal "seat belts in school buses" state law is available yet, various laws and proposed bills have excellent features that help the issue gain acceptance by school districts and the community. The Rhode Island legislature introduced a comprehensive Bill, i.e. House 8067* or Senate 2775* in April of 2018. The Bill had provisions of California and Florida seat belts in school buses laws that resolved various opposition points brought up in the past, including: delaying the effective date for seat belt installation; student and staff seat belt training on use or maintenance; student evacuation drills; student usage policy with noncompliance penalties; state approval of plan elements; absence of liability for students, staff and volunteers regarding seat belts and first priority for equipped buses be given for transport of elementary school students, sports teams and field trips.

A Texas law*** that was effective in 2017, stimulated progress on equipping school buses with lap-shoulder seat belts by not tying seat belt installation by school districts to funding from the state, as was stipulated in their 2007 law, and leaving implementation to each school district following a district decision based on affordability reached at a public meeting.

Ohio legislators are currently considering House Bill 680**** that requires all Ohio school districts to have lap-shoulder seat belts, i.e. same as passenger cars, for all passengers on all school buses that are purchased, owned, leased or rented by July 1st, 2019 or face criminal charges.

Please let me know if you have any questions and/or comments. "Seat Belts Save Lives" Thanks. Rudy Breglia, School Bus Safety Alliance (RudyBreglia@gmail.com)
*http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText18/HouseText18/H8067.pdf
**http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText18/SenateText18/S2775.pdf
***https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.547.htm

****https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-680

See School Bus Safety Alliance Website for more information: http://schoolbusseatbeltsafety.com