Missouri Bill Finally Filed on
School Bus Seat Belt Issue

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - After much publicity last fall a bill is finally before Missouri legislators that would implement 3-point lap/shoulder belts on all newly purchased school buses by Jan. 1, 2007.

Gov. Matt Blunt called for the safety restraints on all school buses, following a school bus task force recommendation in August that individual school districts should decide on a voluntary basis if implementing the seat belts made fiscal and operational sense. Blunt formed the task force last spring after highly-publicized accidents that killed motorists in other vehicles and severely injured several students onboard school buses.

House Bill 1674, introduced by Rep. Tim Flook on Feb. 6 and co-sponsored by Rep. Sam Page, would add a $15 surcharge to all motor vehicle moving violations statewide and establish the School Bus Safety Awareness Fund. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education would manage the fund. Tom Quinn, the state's director of school governance and the de-facto state director of pupil transportation, said the education department will be required to add a fiscal note to the bill.

"We would come up with the provisions for that," said Quinn, who added that the DESE does not take an official stance on the school bus seat belt issue.

"Unless we're requested to offer editorial comments we pretty much don't take a position," he added. "If requested to testify on the issues then that certainly is fair game."

The bill goes on to say school districts with higher enrollments would be eligible to receive a larger distribution of money. Elementary routes would be given first priority to be equipped with the lap/shoulder belts.

HB 1674 excludes publicly-run utility buses, buses engaged in charter service for field trips or passengers cars from complying with the seat belt regulations. Students would be required to be transported in designated seats and would be required to wear properly adjusted and fastened safety restraints at all times while the school bus is in operation. The bill does not hold liable the state, the county, school district, a contracted school bus operator, or agent or employee of the school (including teacher or chaperone) in the event of injury because the restraint was not worn or was misused.

Source: School Transportation News, March 2006. All rights reserved.