BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 148
80R2556 ESH-D By: Lucio
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The use of safety belts may help prevent injury to school bus passengers in the event of an automobile accident, especially side impact or rollover collisions. In such accidents, students may be thrown around inside the bus, collide with hard surfaces, or be ejected from the bus. Though current law does not require safety belts in buses weighing more than 10,000 pounds, school districts may be encouraged to install safety belts in those buses through additional funding or through donations.
As proposed, S.B. 148 authorizes school district boards of trustees to seek private funding to place safety belts in public school buses. This bill additionally authorizes the use of donations toward bus seatbelts, either by donating seatbelts or money for the purchase of seatbelts. This bill authorizes the school board to recognize a person for donating money or seatbelts on the bus in which the seatbelts were installed.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 34, Education Code, by adding Section 34.013, as follows:
Sec. 34.013. FUNDING FOR SAFETY OR LAP BELTS. (a) Authorizes a person to donate safety or lap belts or money for the purchase of safety or lap belts for a school district's school buses.
(b) Requires the board of trustees (board) of a school district to consider any such donation. Authorizes the board to accept or decline the donation after consideration.
(c) Authorizes the board to display a small, discreet sign on the side or the back of the bus recognizing the person who donated either money for the purchase of or safety or lap belts toward that bus. Prohibits use of the sign as an advertisement.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.