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Arlington ISD board approves lack-of-funding exemption for Senate Bill 546 seat-belt reporting
Summary
Facing retrofit estimates of about $3.9 million for out-of-compliance buses, the board voted 7'0to'00 to approve an exemption claim instead of retrofitting, and staff will report the exemption to TEA by the May reporting deadline.
The Arlington ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously April 9 to approve the administration's recommendation to file a lack-of-funding exemption with the Texas Education Agency for Senate Bill 546's school-vehicle seat-belt requirement.
Doctor Hill summarized the statute and the district's options, telling trustees that SB 546 requires three-point seat belts on vehicles that transport students, including buses and activity buses, with compliance required by 2029 and a TEA action required by the end of the 2026 school year. Hill reported the district's fleet status: 71 buses have no seat belts, 54 have two-point belts and 106 already have three-point belts; staff said about 125 buses are currently out of compliance at various ages and mileage levels.
Hill said bids to retrofit the out-of-compliance fleet totaled roughly $3.9 million; noting the replacement/retirement schedule for buses and reserve needs, administration recommended seeking a lack-of-funding exemption rather than immediate retrofit. After a motion and second, trustees voted 7'0to'00 to approve the exemption.
Why it matters: SB 546 imposes a statutory compliance requirement but does not require students to wear belts; district staff and trustees cited costs, fleet age and the state reporting deadline as the factors driving the exemption recommendation.
Outcome: board authorized the exemption; staff will submit the required notice to TEA by the specified deadline and continue to incorporate three-point belts on new vehicles already being purchased.
