STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblywoman GABRIELA M. MOSQUERA
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman RALPH R. CAPUTO
District 28 (Essex)
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblyman RAJ MUKHERJI
District 33 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Abigail’s Law; requires that newly-manufactured school buses be equipped with sensors.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning school bus safety and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as “Abigail’s Law.”
2. Each school bus as defined in R.S.39:1-1 shall be equipped with a sensor to determine the presence of objects in the front or back of the bus. The design and installation of the sensor shall conform to regulations to be promulgated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in the Department of Transportation, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be applicable to school buses manufactured on or after the 180th day following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill, designated "Abigail's Law," requires that all school buses manufactured on or after 180 days following the bill's enactment be equipped with sensors to alert a bus driver when a child walks in front or back of the bus. The bill provides that the design and installation of the sensor must conform to regulations to be promulgated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. This measure will help to ensure the safe transport of the State’s students, particularly its younger students.