Spring Independent School District officials briefed trustees on Jan. 6 about the financial effect of Senate Bill 546, which requires three‑point seat belts for every passenger seat on school buses by Sept. 1, 2029. Transportation staff said the district’s current fleet totals 254 buses; 88 buses lack three‑point seat belts, of which 36 the vendor said are eligible for retrofit and 52 were judged too old to retrofit.

Transportation Director Christina Riojas said the district obtained a vendor retrofit estimate of approximately $35,000 per bus for seat‑belt installation, with an 8‑ to 10‑week lead time. Using that price, the district estimated a retrofit cost in the low millions (presented as approximately $1.2 million for retrofit‑eligible buses). For buses deemed ineligible for retrofit, administrators provided a replacement‑cost estimate in the multi‑million range — presentation slides cited more than $8 million and a later figure of $9.6 million for full replacement and seat‑belt compliance.

Riojas and operations staff emphasized supply constraints: every Texas district faces the same retrofit/replacement demand, and lead times and parts availability could extend timelines and raise costs. The transportation team also noted that recent purchases of 60 buses improved the district’s overall position compared with some neighboring districts.

Given Spring ISD’s current budget deficit, administration recommended submitting required SB 546 data to the Texas Education Agency and reporting that local replacement of all noncompliant buses is not currently financially feasible. Trustees asked about potential state grant support or central funding; staff said discussions with TEA are ongoing and that the district will continue to pursue cost‑saving options and seek guidance.

What’s next: Administration will submit the SB 546 report to TEA as required and continue outreach about state funding options and procurement pathways; the board asked staff to monitor pricing and supply timelines closely.