For the first time in 20 years, a piece of legislation requiring seat belts on school buses has made it out of a state committee.

House Bill 5033 would require three-point lap/shoulder belts on all school buses manufactured in 2012 and beyond. If passed, the state Department of Motor Vehicles could suspend the registration of any school bus that was not equipped with the proper restraints. In the last 20 years, almost two dozen similar bills have never made it out of committee, giving HB 5033 some hope.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Antonio Guerrera after a 16-year-old boy, Vikas Parikh, died on his way to a weekend science competition after the school bus overturned. Parikh's parents and sister testified before lawmakers last month, stressing that seat belts would have saved Parikh's life.

Currently, only six states have passed laws requiring seat belts on school buses, and only two of the laws are related to the lap/shoulder restraints.