Requires passengers on school buses equipped with seat belts to wear such belts when the bus is in motion

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Gary Pretlow

Requires all passengers on school buses already equipped with seat belts to wear them whenever the bus is in motion.

REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

Overview

Bill number: A 7254

Title/purpose (as provided): Requires passengers on school buses equipped with seat belts to wear such belts when the bus is in motion

Status: Referred to the Assembly Committee on Transportation

Introduced: March 21, 2025

Sponsor: J. Gary Pretlow (primary)

Companion/related measures: S 1061 (companion in the Senate); multiple prior-session related bills listed (e.g., A 2310, A 3845, A 3094, etc.)

What the bill would do

The bill would require all passengers aboard school buses that are equipped with seat belts to wear those seat belts whenever the bus is in motion.

The provision applies specifically to buses that already have seat belts installed. Buses without seat belts would not be subject to this requirement.

Key provisions and implications (as described)

Scope of applicability: Applies only to school buses that have seat belts installed; does not mandate installation of seat belts on buses lacking them.

Behavioral requirement: Passengers are required to wear seat belts when the bus is moving.

Enforcement and penalties: The information provided does not include specific enforcement mechanisms, penalties, or exemptions. Actual enforcement details would be determined by the text of the bill and related regulations if enacted.

Implementation details: The summary does not specify a phase-in period or effective date; those timing elements would be set in the bill’s final text or implementing regulations.

Who is affected

Primary beneficiaries/risk population: Students and other passengers on school buses that are already equipped with seat belts.

Impact on school districts and bus operators: Potential changes to monitoring and enforcement practices for belt use on eligible buses. The financial impact is not specified in the summary, but could relate to ongoing enforcement costs or driver training if new procedures are required.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Current stage: Referred to the Transportation Committee in the Assembly (March 21, 2025). The legislative actions record shows the same referral appears twice, suggesting a clerical duplication rather than a substantive difference in action.

Next steps: If advanced, the bill would move through committee hearings, potential amendments, and, if approved, proceed to floor votes in the Assembly. A Senate companion (S 1061) indicates parallel consideration in the other chamber.

Context and notes

The bill is one of several related measures noted in the file, signaling ongoing interest in seat belt use on school buses. The companion Senate bill (S 1061) may inform cross-chamber negotiations or shared language.

No dollar amounts, dates for phased implementation, or explicit penalties are provided in the information available here. Access to the full bill text would clarify enforcement mechanisms, exceptions (if any), and implementation timelines.

If you’d like, I can pull the full text to extract specific penalties, exemptions, and any proposed funding or compliance timelines.

Bill