Bill
H 564
Requires training for drivers/attendants and written impairment reports for each student with a disability on special transportation vans to boost safety and planning.
Overview
- Bill number and title: H.564, An Act relative to improved special needs transportation and student safety, "John's Law"
- Purpose: Establish new safety and reporting requirements for transportation of students with disabilities on dedicated special transportation vehicles, enhancing training for drivers and staff and providing safety-related information to support planning and risk mitigation.
- Primary sponsor: Rep. Michelle M. DuBois (Brockton)
- Introduced: February 27, 2025
- Status and status notes: Referred to the Education Committee; accompanied by a new draft (H.4404) as of August 25, 2025. Hearing scheduled (see Legislative Actions). Referred to committee on Education on February 27, 2025; Senate concurred on that date.
What the bill would do (key provisions)
- Legislative amendment:
- Inserts new Section 8A into Chapter 71B of the General Laws (as it appears in the 2020 Official Edition), after existing section 8.
- Definitions:
- “Special transportation van” means a van, bus, or other motor vehicle used exclusively or primarily to transport school-age children with disabilities or other persons with disabilities.
- Training requirement:
- Any bus driver, monitor, or qualified attendant responsible for transporting a school-age child with a disability on a special transportation van must be trained and certified in first aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
- Written reporting obligation:
- School districts must provide, for each school-age child with a disability whom a bus driver, monitor, or qualified attendant transports on a special transportation van, a written report identifying any sensory, neurological, emotional, communication, physical, intellectual, or health impairment—or combination thereof—that the district believes may affect the child’s safety during transportation.
- Conditions for providing the report: the district must have this information required by the student’s IEP, or must have obtained written consent from the student’s parent or guardian.
- Scope of report: addressed to safety considerations and may influence transportation planning and supervision.
Who is affected
- School districts and their transportation programs
- Bus drivers, monitors, and other qualified attendants assigned to transport students with disabilities on special transportation vans
- Students with disabilities who rely on such transportation
- Parents/guardians, who may provide consent for the reporting and information sharing
Procedural and timeline aspects
- Legislative path:
- 2025-02-27: Referred to the House Committee on Education; Senate concurred that day
- 2025-06-03: Hearing scheduled (H 4404 draft referenced for new provisions)
- 2025-08-25: Accompanied a new draft, see H.4404
- Related activity:
- Similar matter previously filed in the 2023-2024 session as House Bill 472
- HD 3751 appears as a related or replacing measure in the current session context
Impact and considerations
- Safety and planning: Enhanced driver training and standardized safety reporting could improve risk assessment for students with disabilities during transport.
- Privacy and consent: Reports depend on IEP requirements or parental consent, balancing safety with privacy.
- Implementation: Districts would need processes to generate, store, and utilize these impairment reports to inform transportation assignments and accommodations.
Notes
- The bill is part of ongoing efforts to improve accessibility and safety in special education transportation and aligns with prior related proposals.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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