This bill mandates that all school buses transporting students with special needs must be equipped with specific safety features. These features include an integrated electronic seat belt alert system that utilizes weight sensors in each passenger seat to notify the driver audibly and visually if any seat belt is unfastened or improperly fastened while the bus is in motion. Additionally, the bill requires a system of unique barcodes to be placed on both the interior and exterior of the bus. The driver must scan these barcodes during a post-trip inspection to ensure that no student has been left on the bus.

The Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, is tasked with developing rules and regulations regarding the design and installation of these safety systems. The act is set to take effect six months after its enactment, although anticipatory actions for timely implementation may be taken by the Commissioner and the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission.