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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to seat belts on buses that transport children. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 547.701, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (f) to read as |
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follows: |
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(e) In this subsection, "bus" includes a school bus, school |
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activity bus, multifunction school activity bus, or |
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school-chartered bus. Except as otherwise provided by this |
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subsection, a [A] bus operated by or contracted for use by a school |
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district for the transportation of schoolchildren shall be equipped |
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with a three-point seat belt for each passenger, including the |
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operator. A bus shall be equipped with a two-point seat belt for |
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each passenger, including the operator, if the board of trustees |
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for the school district: |
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(1) determines it is not feasible, in consideration of |
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the district's budget and student needs, for the district to equip |
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the district's buses with three-point seat belts as required by |
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this subsection; and |
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(2) [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. |
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(f) A school district may accept gifts, grants, and |
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donations from any public or private source to implement the |
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requirements of Subsection (e). |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |