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HB 1536

Clarifying requirements governing the withholding of high school diplomas.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Steve Bergquist and 10 co-sponsors

Arkansas HB 1536 requires districts to seek voter approval for bus passenger restraints or purchase/install/maintain them; if not, 25% of state transportation funds are withheld.

Effective date 7/23/2023.
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Bill Summary · HB 1536

Summary — HB 1536 (Arkansas, 95th General Assembly, 2025 session)

Status: Failed (Second reading — failed to pass; yeas 22, nays 62). Introduced: December 6, 2024. Primary sponsors: Rep. M. McElroy; Sen. D. Wallace (cosponsor; amendments S1/S2).

Main purpose

To require Arkansas public school districts either to (1) seek voter approval for a passenger-restraint (e.g., seat-belt) program at the next school election or (2) purchase, install, and maintain passenger restraint systems on school buses — and to withhold a portion of the district’s state transportation funding until one of those options is taken.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new subsection (g) to Arkansas Code § 6-19-130 (school bus passenger restraint systems).
  • Triggers: If a school district does not either:
    • place a proposal on the ballot for the next school election as described in subsection (e) of § 6-19-130 (i.e., voter consideration of a restraint plan or funding), or
    • elect to purchase, install, and maintain passenger restraint systems as specified in subsection (f) of § 6-19-130, then the state will withhold twenty-five percent (25%) of the state transportation funding allocated to that school district.
  • Withholding remains in effect until the district either places the ballot proposal or purchases/installs/maintains passenger restraint systems for all newly purchased school buses.
  • Amendment history:
    • Amendment S1 added Sen. D. Wallace as a sponsor.
    • Amendment S2 narrowed the sanction to withholding 25% (explicitly substituted “twenty-five percent (25%) of the state transportation” funding).

Who is affected

  • Public school districts in Arkansas: potential reduction (25%) in state transportation funds if they neither seek voter approval nor adopt restraint systems for new buses.
  • Students and families who use school bus transportation: could see earlier adoption of passenger restraints or, if districts lack funds, potential impacts to transportation services.
  • State education/finance officials: responsible for implementing and enforcing the withholding of transportation funds.
  • Voters in local school districts: may be asked to consider proposals related to passenger restraints.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Financial incentive/compliance mechanism: withholding funding is intended to pressure districts to adopt seat-belt/restraint measures or seek voter authorization for related expenditures.
  • Cost implications for districts: purchasing, installing, and maintaining passenger restraint systems entails capital and ongoing maintenance costs (not specified in the bill).
  • Local control and voter role: districts may choose the ballot route, preserving local decision-making through elections.
  • Operational scope: the requirement as drafted applies to "all newly purchased school buses" (i.e., incremental fleet changes rather than retrofitting every existing bus immediately).

Legislative/actions timeline (selected)

  • Amendments S1/S2 adopted in the Senate (March 11 and March 17, 2025); S2 adjusted withholding to 25%.
  • Reported correctly engrossed; re-referred to and returned by Senate committee with a Do Pass recommendation.
  • March 19, 2025: Read third time and failed (returned to House as failed). Final status: died at sine die adjournment.

Related bills

  • SB 513 — listed as a companion bill.

Note: This summary focuses on the Arkansas HB 1536 language concerning school-bus passenger restraint systems. The full legislative record attached to the bill file includes materials from other jurisdictions and unrelated bills; those are not part of this Arkansas measure.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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