Senate committee advances bill requiring 911 calls, equipment and training on buses that carry students with disabilities

Senate Bill 3858, which would require school bus personnel transporting students with disabilities to call 911 in a potential life‑threatening emergency, expand training for staff who supervise special‑education students on buses, and require certain safety equipment on buses that transport students with disabilities, was released by the Senate Committee on Education after a public hearing and testimony from families, advocates and education groups.

The bill matters to families of students with disabilities because, supporters said, transportation is an extention of the school day and currently can lack consistent training, clear emergency protocols and accountability. Jonathan Pushman, director of government relations for the New Jersey School Boards Association, said the association “supports the spirit and intent of this legislation” while noting budget concerns tied to vehicle equipment costs. A family that identified itself as the Rossi family described the…