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Ricardo ISD trustees say budget can’t buy three-point seat belts now; set plan to comply by Sept. 1, 2028
Summary
Trustees voted that the district’s current budget cannot support replacing buses with three-point seat belts immediately but directed staff to develop a short-term compliance plan to meet SB 546 by Sept. 1, 2028 and seek grant funding.
Ricardo ISD trustees voted Feb. 18 that the district’s current budget does not permit purchasing school buses equipped with three-point seat belts at this time, and they directed staff to develop a short-term plan to meet the state mandate by Sept. 1, 2028.
The motion, made by Trustee Lance Hamm and seconded by Trustee Rosanna Arevalo, included an instruction to “maximize any available grant funding options.” The board adopted the motion on a 6–0 vote with one absence (Trustee Mario Mendietta). The motion referenced compliance with Texas Transportation Code §547.701(f).
Board members were presented a report on Senate Bill 546 by Operations staff member Joey Vasquez; the transcript records the presentation item but does not include technical cost estimates or a purchase timeline in the recorded text. The board’s adopted direction is procedural: staff will explore funding sources and draft a plan to reach compliance by the statutory target date.
The vote and the compliance timeline leave open several operational questions — including estimated cost per bus, the number of buses affected, and whether purchases will be phased or contingent on external grant awards — none of which are detailed in the transcript.
