New Ohio Bill Aims to Make Kids Safer on the School Bus
Source: https://www.10tv.com/
Ohio’s House Bill 279, introduced in response to the death of an 11-year-old student in a school bus crash, aims to improve school bus safety. The bill, which includes 13 safety recommendations from the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, proposes measures like installing seatbelts on buses. However, these recommendations are not mandatory in the latest version of the bill.
State Rep. Bernie Willis (R-Springfield) introduced a bill in the House Transportation Committee aimed at improving school bus safety. The bill includes safety measures, but these are permissive, not mandatory, allowing school districts to choose the measures that best meet their needs.
State Rep. Bernie Willis explained that most school districts do not prioritize seatbelts on buses but are interested in other safety measures, such as LED lighting and cameras to help drivers identify vehicles illegally passing stopped buses. The bill was adjusted to avoid mandating costly safety measures, as lawmakers were concerned about placing additional financial burdens on school districts with limited budgets.
Instead, the bill offers $25 million in grants for school districts to choose and implement their own safety improvements. Rep. Richard Brown noted that the effectiveness of seatbelts was debated in the working group, leading to the decision to leave it up to individual districts.
The bill also proposes stricter penalties for drivers who illegally pass buses while they are loading or unloading children. Both Rep. Bernie Willis and Rep. Richard Brown believe the bill has broad bipartisan support and is likely to pass in both legislative chambers, with the potential to become law by the end of the year.
Read More: https://ohio.childreninfobank.com/safebank/new-ohio-bill-aims-to-make-kids-safer-on-the-school-bus/
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