David Blount, Editor

Seat Belts on Large School Buses

In recent years, the General Assembly has debated, but failed to enact any of the bills submitted to require public school buses to be equipped with passenger safety belts. Each time, research questioning the benefit of seatbelts on school buses and ongoing study at the federal level have been cited as reasons to disapprove the bills. In 1994, the legislature did approve SB 144 to clarify that school bus drivers must wear appropriate safety belt systems when the bus they are driving is moving. In 1997, HB 1884 would have required, by Board of Education (BOE) regulation, that all newly-purchased school buses be equipped with appropriate safety belt systems and that they be worn. No action was taken on this bill in the House Education Committee. A trio of bills followed two years later. HB 1436 and HB 1909 unsuccessfully proposed a requirement in the transportation section of the Code of Virginia for passenger safety lap belts or combinations of safety lap belts and shoulder harnesses. These bills also would have applied to buses already in use. SB 1163 again proposed BOE regulations requiring the presence and use of seat belts or harnesses on all buses. In both 2000 and 2001, bills attempting to require seatbelts on school buses again failed. A Department of Planning and Budget fiscal impact statement in 2001 estimated the cost to retrofit a school bus with safety belts and shoulder harnesses at $8,800, while adding $1,200-$1,500 to the cost of a new bus.

Given the studies that have taken place or are ongoing at the national level, no state-level study is likely. However, bills similar to those seen in recent years are expected to be resubmitted. Also, the Board of Education is revising 8VAC 20-70, Regulations Governing Pupil Transportation Including Minimum Standards for School Buses in Virginia. Last amended in 1994, these regulations are being revised to reflect changes in state law, as well as federal standards addressing school bus equipment and construction.

1994 – SB 144, SB 145 (bus drivers must wear seatbelts)

1997 – HB 1884

1999 – HB 1436, HB 1909, SB 1163

2000 – HB 894

2001 – HB 2689

As stated in the Seat Belts on Large School Buses issue briefing, five states have enacted laws requiring school buses to be equipped with seatbelts. The most recent action was taken in 1999 by California, Florida and Louisiana, while New Jersey and New York have had laws on the books since 1992 and 1987, respectively.

In the 107th session of Congress, a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce has received H.R. 584 which would prohibit school buses from being manufactured, sold, delivered or imported unless they were equipped with passenger seat belts. No action has been taken. This same committee considered, but did not act on, two similar bills during the previous session.

http://thomas.loc.gov/

http://www.townhall.state.va.us/

http://www.sreb.org/main/LegAction/legrept/legreptindex.asp

Click here for a policy issue briefing on “Seat Belts on Large School Buses.”

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