Bill Summary
The "Secure Every Child Under the Right Equipment Standards Act of 2026," or the "SECURES Act of 2026," mandates the Secretary of Transportation to develop and publish proposed federal regulations regarding seat belt requirements for school buses. Within 180 days of the Act's enactment, the Secretary must consider various factors, including the safety advantages of lap/shoulder belts, recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board, and insights from states that have already implemented seat belt requirements. The legislation aims to enhance the safety of school bus passengers by ensuring that all new school buses, regardless of their weight, are equipped with appropriate seat belt systems.
Possible Impacts
The SECURES Act of 2026 could have several effects on people, including:
1. **Enhanced Student Safety**: By requiring seat belts on all new school buses, the legislation aims to improve the safety of students during transportation. This could lead to a significant reduction in injuries and fatalities in the event of an accident, providing parents with greater peace of mind regarding their children’s safety while traveling to and from school.
2. **Increased Costs for School Districts**: School districts may face higher costs as they may need to purchase new buses equipped with seat belts or retrofit existing buses to comply with the new federal standards. This could impact budget allocations and potentially lead to increased operational costs, which might require adjustments in funding or resources for other educational programs.
3. **Regulatory Compliance Challenges**: As the legislation mandates that the Secretary of Transportation publish proposed rulemaking within a specific timeframe, school districts and bus manufacturers will need to stay informed and comply with new regulations once they are implemented. This could involve additional training for bus drivers, updates to maintenance protocols, and addressing logistical challenges related to the installation and monitoring of seat belt systems, affecting how school transportation operates.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3806 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3806
To require the Secretary of Transportation to publish a notice of
proposed rulemaking concerning seat belts on school buses, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 9, 2026
Mr. Booker introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Transportation to publish a notice of
proposed rulemaking concerning seat belts on school buses, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Secure Every Child Under the Right
Equipment Standards Act of 2026'' or the ``SECURES Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. PROPOSED RULEMAKING.
(a) Requirements.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall publish a
notice of proposed rulemaking on new Federal standards for school bus
seat belt requirements on all new school buses, regardless of gross
vehicle weight rating.
(b) Considerations.--In the proposed rulemaking, the Secretary
shall consider--
(1) the safety benefits of a lap/shoulder belt system (also
known as a ``Type 2 seat belt assembly'');
(2) the conclusion of the National Transportation Safety
Board that ``Lap/shoulder belts provide the highest level of
protection for school bus passengers'' and that ``Properly worn
lap belts provide some benefit,'' while ``Properly worn lap/
shoulder belts provide greater benefit by reducing injuries
related to upper body flailing'';
(3) the 2015 announcement by the Administrator of the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Mark Rosekind,
stating that the agency believes ``that every child on every
school bus should have a three-point seat belt'';
(4) any innovative approaches to seat belt detection, seat
belt reminder systems, and seat belt violation alert systems
that could be incorporated into school bus designs; and
(5) existing experience from the States that have already
required school buses to be equipped with seat belts.
<all>