On February 22, 2024, Associate Policy Director Brianna January submitted testimony the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in opposition to the original text and intent of SB 724- Motor Vehicles- School Buses- Seat Belts. SB 724 requires every school bus purchased after October 1, 2024, to have seat belts, and every school bus purchased prior to that date to be retrofitted with seat belts by October 1, 2026. While counties appreciate the safety concerns raised by the original drafting of the bill, complying with its requirements would pose a significant financial and labor challenge for county governments.

While MACo has significant concerns with the bill as drafted and introduced, a series of sponsor amendments to only require seat belts in newly purchased school buses and not require retroactiely adding seat belts to currently owned school buses.

From MACo Testimony:

With no state support offered in the bill, county governments would be on the hook for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars of procurement and labor to install seat belts. Also concerning is the very quick timeline proposed in the bill, essentially allowing counties only one budget cycle to prepare for and fund this costly, unfunded mandate.

SB 724’s cross-file, HB 196, was heard on February 29, 2024 in the House Environment and Transportation Committee. Brianna January testified in opposition to this bill.

More on MACo’s Advocacy:

• Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2024 legislative session on MACo’s Legislative Tracking Database
• Learn more about MACo’s 2024 Legislative Initiatives
• Read more General Assembly News on MACo’s Conduit Street blog