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Sonora ISD board declines to retrofit buses this year citing budget and warranty concerns
Summary
The Sonora ISD board voted unanimously to defer retrofitting school buses with 3-point harnesses required under SB546 this year, citing budget constraints and potential warranty voiding; the district must still report estimated retrofit costs to the Texas Education Agency.
The Sonora ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously April 13 to decline retrofitting the district’s school buses with the 3‑point harnesses addressed in SB546 this year, citing budget constraints and vendor warranty concerns.
Superintendent Michael Kissire told the board that “SB546 requires all school busses to be equipped with 3-point seatbelts” and that districts must report retrofit cost estimates to the Texas Education Agency. Kissire also said some companies will not retrofit existing buses and that retrofits can void manufacturers’ warranties.
Mason Martinez moved to postpone retrofitting for the current budget year; Colby Bates seconded. The motion passed 7–0 (Tai Araujo, Colby Bates, Shanna Castro, John Jones, Mason Martinez, Brenda Mungia and Cynthia Perez voting yea). The board did not adopt a timetable for future retrofits at the meeting.
Board members framed the vote as a budgetary decision rather than a policy rejection: trustees emphasized the need to quantify costs for TEA reporting and to consider warranty and procurement options before committing district funds.
