NATIONAL COALITION OF SCHOOL BUS SAFETY NEWS 2005

From Industry publication, School Transportation News: December 14, 2005

On December 14, 2005 several Michigan legislators introduced a curiously worded  bill that would require "safety belts" on public and private school buses  "owned, leased or operated" beginning Jan. 1, 2006. It was unknown if House Bill 5519 contained typos. A call for clarification by School Transportation News to Rep. Lamar Lemmons III, the bill's primary sponsor, was unreturned press time.

Virginia Del. Robert G. Marshall offered a bill requiring either 2-point lap belts or 3-point lap/shoulder belts, with the  variety of restraint to be approved by the superintendent of state police, on  school buses purchased on or after July 1, 2006. The motion was pre-filed on  Dec. 13, with the bill to be officially introduced when the 2005-2006  legislative session returns from recess on Jan. 11, 2006. HB 51 says: "The Board  of Education must adopt policies, guidelines, and regulations to ensure that all passengers, including the driver, wear these belts or harnesses or both,  whenever the bus is in motion.

However, a school bus driver may not be held personally liable for the failure of passengers to wear safety belts as required by the Board's regulations."

Meanwhile, Del. Lionel Spruill pre-filed another  bill, HB 84, on Dec. 16 that uses similar language to HB 51, sans a provision  reducing driver liability. If passed, school buses would be required to have  safety belts on or after Jan. 1, 2007.

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