DENVER — The first piece of seat belt legislation for school buses in 20 years moves to the floor of the Colorado state senate this week.

SB 29, which would require all new buses to be equipped with lap/shoulder belts starting July 1, 2010, was passed by the transportation committee last week on a 5-1-1 vote.

Bruce Little, Colorado’s director of pupil transportation, said the bill saw a number of changes in the committee, including the elimination of a mandate that would have forced all buses purchased after 2004 to be retrofitted with the restraints and the addition of immunity from criminal and civil liability for the school bus driver in the event of a crash. The bill does not address immunity for the school district, Little said. Amendments also more precisely defined responsibility for training students in wearing the restraints.

Little estimates that it will cost between $7,000 and $20,000 per bus to equip each of the 6,080 school buses in the state. The figure, which is greater than those cited elsewhere, is based on a 2007 Congressional Research Service report, he noted.

Financing may determine the bill's fate. There is no funding associated with the bill and all costs would be borne by local districts.

"The emotional side of it has convinced a number of the senators so far that this is needed," Little noted. "The finance side of it, that’s going to be hard to tell how that’s going to affect the final outcome."

Rose Swenby was a part of that 'emotional side.' During her testimony she explained that her son, Kevin, was fatally ejected from his school bus in 1989, and asked for lap/shoulder belts on Colorado school buses.

While the state department of education has taken no official stance on the issue, the Colorado State Pupil Transportation Association has said the legislation is not necessary.

The bill will be heard and voted on twice before moving to the state assembly.