S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4771
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 23, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the education law, in
relation to requiring the usage of seat safety belts on school buses
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section 1229-c of the
vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 448 of the laws of 2015,
is amended to read as follows:
(a) "motor vehicle" shall include all motor vehicles which are
required by section three hundred eighty-three of this chapter or regu-
lation or would be required if such motor vehicle were registered in New
York state to be equipped [by a safety belt but shall not include] WITH
SEAT BELTS, INCLUDING those vehicles which are used as school buses, as
such term is defined in section one hundred forty-two of this chapter
[and]; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE TERM "MOTOR VEHICLE" SHALL NOT
INCLUDE those vehicles which are authorized emergency vehicles, as such
term is defined in section one hundred one of this chapter, provided,
however, that for purposes of this section, "motor vehicle" shall also
include fire vehicles owned and/or operated by a fire company as defined
by subdivision two of section one hundred of the general municipal law
and ambulances owned and/or operated by a voluntary ambulance service as
defined by subdivision three of section one hundred of the general
municipal law;
§ 2. Subdivision 11 of section 1229-c of the vehicle and traffic law,
as added by chapter 653 of the laws of 1989 and as renumbered by chapter
104 of the laws of 1991, is amended and a new subdivision 11-a is added
to read as follows:
11. [Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision four of this
section, no] NO person shall operate a school bus unless SUCH PERSON IS
REASONABLY SURE THAT all passengers under the age of four are restrained
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02807-01-3
A. 4771 2
in a specially designed detachable or removable seat as required by
subdivision one of this section, or another restraining device approved
by the commissioner.
11-A. NO PERSON SHALL OPERATE A SCHOOL BUS EQUIPPED WITH SEAT SAFETY
BELTS PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-THREE
OF THIS CHAPTER OR PURSUANT TO SECTION THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE-A
OF THE EDUCATION LAW UNLESS SUCH PERSON IS REASONABLY SURE THAT ALL
PASSENGERS ARE RESTRAINED BY A SEAT SAFETY BELT. FOR THE PURPOSES OF
THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM "PASSENGER" SHALL NOT INCLUDE SCHOOL BUS
ATTENDANTS, AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED TWENTY-
NINE-D OF THIS ARTICLE, OR ANY OTHER PERSON ACTING IN A SUPERVISORY
CAPACITY. FURTHERMORE, IN ANY ACTION FOR PERSONAL INJURIES BY A PASSEN-
GER ON A SCHOOL BUS, THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION FOUR OF SECTION THIR-
TY-EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTEEN OF THE EDUCATION LAW SHALL APPLY.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 3623 of the education law, as amended by
chapter 474 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
1. a. NO PERSON SHALL OPERATE A SCHOOL BUS EQUIPPED WITH SEAT SAFETY
BELTS PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-THREE
OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW OR PURSUANT TO SECTION THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED
THIRTY-FIVE-A OF THIS ARTICLE UNLESS SUCH PERSON IS REASONABLY SURE THAT
ALL PASSENGERS ARE RESTRAINED BY A SEAT SAFETY BELT. FOR THE PURPOSES OF
THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM "PASSENGER" SHALL NOT INCLUDE SCHOOL BUS
ATTENDANTS, AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED TWENTY-
NINE-D OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW, OR ANY OTHER PERSON ACTING IN A
SUPERVISORY CAPACITY. FURTHERMORE, IN ANY ACTION FOR PERSONAL INJURIES
BY A PASSENGER ON A SCHOOL BUS, THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION FOUR OF
SECTION THIRTY-EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTEEN OF THIS CHAPTER SHALL APPLY.
B. THE DRIVER OF A SCHOOL BUS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO ANNOUNCE TO THE
PASSENGERS OF SUCH BUS: "EVERYBODY FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT", BEFORE SUCH
BUS IS PLACED IN MOTION.
C. NO PERSON SHALL OPERATE A SCHOOL BUS WHILE ANY PASSENGER IS STAND-
ING, EITHER IN THE AISLE OR AT THEIR SEAT.
D. The commissioner of transportation in consultation with the commis-
sioner shall adopt, promulgate and enforce rules, standards and specifi-
cations regulating and controlling the efficiency and equipment of
school buses used to transport pupils, with particular regard to the
safety and convenience of such pupils and the suitability and adaptabil-
ity of such school buses to the requirements of the school district. No
school bus shall be purchased by a school district or used for the
transportation of pupils unless and until it has been approved by the
commissioner of transportation as complying with the rules, standards
and specifications relating thereto.
[b.] E. No bus manufactured after January first, nineteen hundred
seventy-four shall be used to transport pupils under any contract with a
school district or board of cooperative educational services unless it
has been similarly approved by the commissioner of transportation,
except that no such approval shall be required for buses used to trans-
port pupils and also used to serve the general public under a certif-
icate of public convenience for the operation of a bus line, granted
pursuant to the transportation law or for buses used to transport
pupils, teachers and other persons acting in a supervisory capacity to
and from school activities and which bus does not receive or discharge
passengers on or along the public highways on regularly scheduled routes
and is operating under a permit as a contract carrier of passengers
granted pursuant to the transportation law or by the interstate commerce
commission. School buses manufactured or assembled prior to April
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first, nineteen hundred seventy-seven may not be used to transport
pupils, teachers and other persons acting in a supervisory capacity to
and from school activities.
[c.] F. The commissioner shall PROVIDE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF PARA-
GRAPH A OF THIS SUBDIVISION AND SHALL establish and provide for the
enforcement of rules and regulations requiring instruction on the use of
seat safety belts [as specified in subdivision five of section three
hundred eighty-three of the vehicle and traffic law and section thirty-
six hundred thirty-five-a of this chapter], INSTRUCTION ON THE DANGERS
OF STANDING WHILE THE BUS IS IN MOTION, drills in safe boarding and
exiting procedures and emergency drills to be conducted on all school
buses and shall emphasize specific hazards encountered by children
during snow, ice, rain and other inclement weather. All such drills
shall include instruction in the importance of orderly conduct by all
school bus passengers. A minimum of [three] FOUR such drills shall be
had on each school bus during the school year, the first to be conducted
during the first seven days of session of the fall term.
§ 4. Section 3635-a of the education law, as added by chapter 747 of
the laws of 1986, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 474 of the laws of
1996, is amended to read as follows:
§ 3635-a. Safety belt usage. 1. A board of education or board of
trustees may, in its discretion, following a public hearing for the
purpose of determining whether a resolution shall be adopted, provide
for the [use] INSTALLATION of seat safety belts on such school buses, in
accordance with regulations and standards established by the commission-
er under subdivision one of section thirty-six hundred [thirty-eight]
TWENTY-THREE of this [chapter] ARTICLE.
2. Such public hearing, conducted upon reasonable notice, shall be
held to consider: (a) whether the district shall install seat safety
belts on buses purchased and/or contracted for prior to the effective
date of this section [and require their use]; AND (b) when such instal-
lation shall be provided[, and (c) whether use of seat safety belts
shall be required on all school buses within the district so equipped
after a date to be determined by the board of education or board of
trustees].
3. Such hearings shall consider the effect of seat safety belts
installation on the total number of students that can be transported on
such buses.
4. Within twenty days after the public hearing, the board of education
or board of trustees shall, by resolution, determine whether to require
installation [and use] of seat safety belts on some or all school buses.
4-A. IF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OR BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS DETERMINED TO
REQUIRE THE INSTALLATION OF SEAT SAFETY BELTS, THE USE OF SUCH BELTS
SHALL BE MANDATORY PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH A OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION
THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE OF THIS ARTICLE AND PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
SION ELEVEN-A OF SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE-C OF THE VEHICLE AND
TRAFFIC LAW.
5. This section shall apply only to vehicles owned or leased by school
districts and nonpublic schools, and to vehicles used to perform
contracts with such school districts and nonpublic schools for the
purpose of transporting school children for hire.
6. Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose a duty upon
boards of education or boards of trustees to provide seat safety belts
on school buses purchased or contracted for prior to the effective date
of this section, nor shall any board of education or board of trustees
be held liable for failure to provide seat safety belts pursuant to this
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section. A school board member or trustee shall have immunity from any
civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed
as a result of the provisions of this section provided that such person
shall have acted in good faith. For the purpose of any proceeding, civil
or criminal, the good faith of any such person shall be presumed.
7. The provisions of this section shall not apply to school districts
which are using safety belts on school buses or have installed or have
contracted for the installation of seat safety belts prior to the effec-
tive date of this section.
§ 5. Subdivision 1 of section 1229-d of the vehicle and traffic law,
as added by chapter 675 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as
follows:
(1) (A) "School bus attendant" shall mean a person, INCLUDING A SCHOOL
AIDE OR MONITOR, employed or authorized by a school district OR EMPLOYED
BY A MOTOR CARRIER UNDER CONTRACT TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT to ride on a
school bus as defined in paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section
five hundred nine-a of this chapter for the purpose of maintaining order
or rendering assistance to pupils with special needs.
(B) ANY PUPIL WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WHO IS UNABLE TO UTILIZE A SEAT SAFE-
TY BELT, AS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ELEVEN-A OF SECTION TWELVE
HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE-C OF THIS ARTICLE AND SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION
THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE OF THE EDUCATION LAW, SHALL BE ASSIGNED
A SCHOOL BUS ATTENDANT.
§ 6. Subdivision 4 of section 3813 of the education law, as added by
chapter 747 of the laws of 1986, is amended to read as follows:
4. In any action for personal injuries by a passenger on a school bus
against a school district, school bus operator under contract with a
school district, or any agent or employee of a district or operator
(including, but not limited to, bus drivers, matrons, teachers serving
as chaperones and volunteers) no such person shall be held liable solely
because the injured party was not wearing a seat safety belt OR HELD
LIABLE SOLELY BECAUSE THE INJURED PARTY WAS INJURED AS THE RESULT OF
WEARING A SEAT SAFETY BELT; provided, however, that nothing contained
herein shall be construed to grant immunity from liability for failure
to:
(a) maintain in operating order any equipment required by statute,
rule or regulation;
(b) comply with applicable statutes, rules or regulations.
§ 7. This act shall take effect on the first of September next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective imme-
diately the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.