This bill enhances the safety protocols for school buses transporting students with disabilities by mandating that these buses be equipped with specific safety and communication technologies, such as interior video cameras, GPS for real-time tracking, and two-way communication equipment. It requires school bus personnel to call 911 in the event of a potential life-threatening emergency and to report this call to the Office of Special Education. The bill also expands training programs to include all personnel responsible for student safety, ensuring they are well-versed in emergency procedures and the use of adaptive equipment.

Additionally, the bill introduces penalties for school bus personnel who fail to comply with the emergency notification requirements, with escalating fines for repeated offenses. It establishes enforcement mechanisms, allowing the chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to issue summonses for violations of the School Bus Enhanced Safety Inspection Act. The Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with the Motor Vehicle Commission, is tasked with developing rules and regulations regarding the installation and use of the required safety equipment. The provisions of the bill will take effect immediately, with certain sections becoming effective in the first full fiscal year following enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:39-19.1, 18A:39-19.2, 18A:39-19.3, 39:3B-20, 39:3B-21, 39:3B-22