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HB 110

Motor Vehicles - School Buses - Seat Belts

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Deni Taveras

Maryland bill requires school buses to install seat belts for student passengers, improving crash safety but raising implementation costs and enforcement concerns for districts.

Hearing 2/05 at 1:00 p.m. (Environment and Transportation)
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Bill Summary · HB 110

Legislative bill overview

HB 110 would require school buses in Maryland to be equipped with seat belts for passenger safety. The bill has been introduced in the Maryland House of Delegates and is currently in committee review, with a hearing scheduled for February 5, 2026.

Why is this important

School buses transport hundreds of thousands of children daily, and seat belts could reduce injury severity in accidents. Currently, most school buses lack seat belts despite their use in other vehicles, making this a safety policy question with potential impacts on student protection and school district budgets.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost burden: Installing seat belts in all school buses statewide would require significant capital investment by school districts, potentially straining already tight education budgets
  • Practical implementation questions: Seat belt effectiveness on buses depends on proper usage; enforcement of student compliance and liability issues remain unclear
  • Design trade-offs: School bus design emphasizes compartmentalization and high seating; adding seat belts requires retrofitting or redesign that may conflict with existing safety features and capacity

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

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