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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to three-point seat belts on buses that transport |
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schoolchildren. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 547.701(e), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(e) In this subsection, "bus" includes a school bus, [and a] |
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school activity bus, multifunction school activity bus, or |
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school-chartered bus. A bus operated by or contracted for use by a |
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school district for the transportation of schoolchildren shall be |
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equipped with a three-point seat belt for each passenger, including |
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the operator. This subsection does not apply to: |
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(1) a bus purchased by a school district that is a |
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model year 2017 or earlier; or |
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(2) a bus purchased by a school district that is a |
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model year 2018 or later if the board of trustees for the school |
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district: |
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(A) determines that the district's budget does |
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not permit the district to purchase a bus that is equipped with the |
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seat belts required by this subsection; and |
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(B) votes to approve that determination in a |
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public meeting [applies to:
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[(1)
each bus purchased by a school district on or
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after September 1, 2010, for the transportation of schoolchildren;
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and
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[(2)
each school-chartered bus contracted for use by a
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school district on or after September 1, 2011, for the
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transportation of schoolchildren]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 547.701(f), Transportation Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 3. It is the public policy of this state to ensure |
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the safety of all students by taking every measure possible to |
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protect the lives and well-being of students during transportation |
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on a bus to and from school and extracurricular activities, |
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including the measure enacted in Section 547.701(e), |
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Transportation Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |