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Board finds it cannot meet state’s bus seat‑belt mandate under current funding
Summary
After a presentation on Senate Bill 546, trustees adopted an administration recommendation that current local funds are insufficient to retrofit or replace older buses to meet a 2029 three‑point seat‑belt requirement; staff estimated retrofitting 38 buses would cost about $1.2 million and replacement about $6 million.
District operations staff briefed trustees on Senate Bill 546 — the new state law that requires three‑point seat belts on every passenger seat of buses owned or contracted by school districts by Oct. 1, 2029 — and asked the board to decide whether the district has the financial ability to comply based on current resources. Dennis Womack told the board the district has a fleet of 179 buses: 141 already have three‑point belts and 38 have either lap belts or limited seat‑belt availability. He said retrofitting the 38 buses would cost roughly $1.2 million, while full replacement would be just under $6 million.
Womack said the state provided no new funding for SB 546 and that bond funds and I&S pennies are currently earmarked for other projects. "The financial feasibility summary is based on our current analysis: the district cannot identify sufficient funding sources to implement Senate Bill 546 without affecting our current operations," Womack said. Trustees debated safety priorities and fiscal constraints and then moved and seconded language finding the district cannot meet the mandate with current funding; the motion carried. The administration noted most buses will age out before 2029 but the statute requires a present‑funding determination.
Provenance: The board heard the SB 546 report, asked operational questions about driver supervision and seat-belt verification, and adopted the recommended finding about financial infeasibility at the public meeting.
