Belton ISD board adopts resolution saying district budget cannot yet cover SB 546 seat‑belt mandate
Loading...
Summary
After a presentation on Senate Bill 546 requirements and estimated retrofit costs, the Belton ISD Board of Trustees adopted a 7–0 resolution finding the district cannot fund full compliance by the 9/1/2029 deadline and will submit a plan to the Texas Education Agency, citing potential grant help and vendor limits.
Dr. Spearman, a district transportation official, told the Belton ISD Board of Trustees on March 30 that Senate Bill 546 requires three-point harnesses on each school-bus seat and that compliance must be achieved by Sept. 1, 2029. "It is the recommendation to adopt the proposed resolution determining that the district's current budget does not permit for full compliance with Senate Bill 546 by 09/01/2029," Dr. Spearman said, summarizing the staff recommendation.
Spearman reported the district operates a fleet of 107 buses: 46 are already equipped with three‑point harnesses, 16 have lap belts only and 45 have no belts. A vendor estimate to retrofit buses with three‑point harnesses was cited at $1,600,000 in total; Spearman framed that number as roughly a $500,000-per-year cost if spread across three years, and said new buses capable of meeting the standard were quoted at about $130,000 each. She warned some models cannot be retrofitted without warranty or feasibility issues and that vendor capacity could slow any retrofit program.
Board members pressed on logistics and funding. Jeff (board member) asked how many districts were making a similar finding; Spearman said research showed many districts had taken the same step but she could not quantify a statewide total from memory. Board member Chris said the motion was intended to buy time to find a feasible path, not to reject compliance: "This is really just preserving the option, and the tools that we have in order to get there," he said.
Spearman and superintendent Dr. Golden said the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is collecting district data through a portal and that grant funding is being watched as a potential offset, though nothing is guaranteed. The presenter said additional guidance is expected after TEA completes its data collection window in late May.
After discussion, the board voted to adopt the resolution as presented. The chair called for the motion; the vote was recorded as passing 7–0.
The board directed staff to file the required documentation and to prepare the plan of action that the resolution requires—identifying when, on the district's current budgetary trajectory (absent new funding), compliance could be achieved. Spearman noted staff would return with more detailed cost scenarios, potential replacement counts for buses that cannot be retrofitted, and updated vendor timelines.
What happens next: the district will submit its resolution and an associated timeline to TEA as required, continue to monitor grant opportunities, and return to the board with detailed cost and replacement scenarios. The board's formal action preserves compliance options while acknowledging current budget constraints.
