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HB 512

Require seat belts on newly purchased school buses

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jill Cohenour

Montana bill requiring newly purchased school buses to have seat belts for passenger safety, aimed at improving student transportation protection through mandatory equipment installation.

(S) Tabled in Committee - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
#revenue #state #education-k-12 #immunityfromsuit--government #safety #transportation
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Bill Summary · HB 512

Legislative bill overview

HB 512 would mandate that all newly purchased school buses in Montana be equipped with seat belts for passengers. The bill was introduced by Representative Jill Cohenour and has been under consideration in the Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee, though it was tabled on April 16, 2025.

Why is this important

School bus safety directly affects thousands of Montana students daily. While modern cars require seat belts as standard safety equipment, most school buses currently operate without them—a distinction rooted in the theory that the bus's size and compartmentalized seating provide adequate protection. This bill challenges that assumption by extending passenger restraint requirements to school transportation.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost implications: Retrofitting or manufacturing buses with seat belts increases capital expenses for school districts already operating on tight budgets, potentially diverting funds from other educational priorities
  • Safety efficacy debate: Transportation safety experts disagree on whether seat belts are necessary on buses given their design, weight, and crash dynamics compared to passenger vehicles
  • Retrofit requirements: The bill's language specifies "newly purchased" buses, but stakeholders may dispute whether existing buses should eventually be required to comply, creating compliance timeline uncertainty

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

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