Sponsored by:
Senator SAMUEL D. THOMPSON
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain school buses to be equipped with lap and shoulder seat belts.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning school buses and amending P.L.1992, c.92.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1992, c.92 (C.39:3B-10) is amended to read as follows:
1. In addition to the requirements in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 222 (49 CFR s.571.222) concerning school bus passenger seating and crash protection, each school bus as defined in R.S.39:1-1 shall be equipped with seats of a minimum seat back height of 28 inches, or 24 inches as measured from the seating reference point, and three-point lap and shoulder seat belts [of the lap belt type] for each seating position on the bus or other child restraint systems that are in conformity with applicable federal standards. The design and installation of seat belts or other child restraint systems that are in conformity with applicable federal standards shall conform to the regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the [Director] Chief Administrator of the [Division of] Motor [Vehicles in the Department of Law and Public Safety] Vehicle Commission. The State board shall promulgate regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), for the design and installation of seat belts or other child restraint systems that are in conformity with applicable federal standards.
As used in this section "seating reference point" shall be defined as the term is defined in 49 CFR s.571.3.
(cf: P.L.1992, c.92, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be applicable to school buses manufactured on or after the 180th day following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that all school buses manufactured on or after the 180th day following the bill's enactment be equipped with three-point seat belts.
Under current State law, school buses are required to be equipped with only lap belts. This bill requires school buses to be equipped with both lap belts and shoulder belts.