S.B. No. 546 amends the Transportation Code to mandate that all buses operated by or contracted for use by school districts for transporting schoolchildren must be equipped with three-point seat belts for each passenger, including the operator. The bill specifies that this requirement does not apply to buses purchased by a school district that are model year 2017 or earlier, or to buses purchased in 2018 or later if the district's board of trustees determines that budget constraints prevent the purchase of compliant buses. Additionally, the bill introduces new reporting requirements for school districts that make such budget determinations, requiring them to submit a report to the Texas Education Agency by the end of the 2025-2026 school year detailing the number of buses with and without seat belts and the estimated costs for compliance.

Furthermore, the Texas Education Agency is tasked with collecting this information and calculating the total financial assistance needed for all school districts to comply with the seat belt requirements by January 1, 2027. The bill allows school districts to accept gifts, grants, and donations to help implement these requirements. Notably, compliance with the seat belt mandate is deferred until September 1, 2029, providing districts additional time to meet the new standards. The provisions related to reporting and compliance are set to expire on January 1, 2028.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Transportation Code 547.701 (Transportation Code 547)
Senate Committee Report: Transportation Code 547.701 (Transportation Code 547)
Engrossed: Transportation Code 547.701 (Transportation Code 547)
House Committee Report: Transportation Code 547.701 (Transportation Code 547)
Enrolled: Transportation Code 547.701 (Transportation Code 547)