SENATE, No. 2754

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 21, 2018

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  JOSEPH A. LAGANA

District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)

Senator  LINDA R. GREENSTEIN

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Holzapfel and Singer

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Directs Commissioner of Education to study safety of school bus passengers in certain emergency situations, including school bus accidents.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning the study of school bus passenger safety.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Superintendent of the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety, the Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department of Law and Public Safety, the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, and the Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, shall study the safety of school bus passengers involved in emergency situations, including, but not limited to, school bus accidents, such as head-on, rear-end, and side-impact collisions, and situations where the school bus may roll over.  The study shall include an evaluation of the statutory and regulatory requirements relating to school bus safety and the current policies, plans, and procedures implemented by school districts.

     b.    Within 120 days of the effective date of this act, the commissioner shall prepare and submit a report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature summarizing the study’s findings and making recommendations to improve the safety of school bus passengers.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill directs the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Superintendent of the Division of State Police, the Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety, the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, and the Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, to study the safety of school bus passengers involved in emergency situations, including, but not limited to, school bus accidents, such as head-on, rear-end, and side-impact collisions, and situations where the school bus may roll over.  The study is to include an evaluation of the statutory and regulatory requirements relating to school bus safety and the current policies, plans, and procedures implemented by school districts.