Indiana 2023 Regular Session

Indiana House Bill HB1268 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	Introduced Version
3	3	HOUSE BILL No. 1268
4	4	_____
5	5	DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
6	6	Citations Affected: IC 5-2-10.1; IC 9-13-2; IC 9-19; IC 10-21-1;
7	7	IC 20-27-4-10; IC 34-30-2.1-91.5.
8	8	Synopsis: Seat belts on school buses. Requires a governing body,
9	9	charter school, or accredited nonpublic school seeking to purchase a
10	10	school bus or special purpose bus to: (1) request information
11	11	concerning the cost of purchasing a school bus or special purpose bus
12	12	equipped with 3-point lap and shoulder safety belts; and (2) hold a
13	13	public meeting on the costs and benefits of purchasing a school bus or
14	14	special purpose bus with 3-point lap and shoulder safety belts before
15	15	voting on whether to purchase the bus. Allows a school corporation,
16	16	charter school, or an accredited nonpublic school to use a portion of a
17	17	grant from the safe schools fund or the secured school fund toward
18	18	purchasing or equipping school buses and special purpose buses with
19	19	safety equipment. Requires each occupant of a school bus or special
20	20	purpose bus that has a 3-point lap and shoulder safety belt to have the
21	21	3-point lap and shoulder safety belt properly fastened about the
22	22	occupant's body at all times when the bus is in motion. Provides for an
23	23	exception to the laws concerning other types of passenger restraint
24	24	systems.
25	25	Effective: July 1, 2023.
26	26	Bartlett
27	27	January 11, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Education.
28	28	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 Introduced
29	29	First Regular Session of the 123rd General Assembly (2023)
30	30	PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
31	31	Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
32	32	additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
33	33	Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
34	34	provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
35	35	word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
36	36	a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
37	37	Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
38	38	between statutes enacted by the 2022 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
39	39	HOUSE BILL No. 1268
40	40	A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
41	41	education.
42	42	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
43	43	1 SECTION 1. IC 5-2-10.1-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.211-2019,
44	44	2 SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
45	45	3 JULY 1, 2023]: Sec. 2. (a) The Indiana safe schools fund is established
46	46	4 to do the following:
47	47	5 (1) Promote school safety through the:
48	48	6 (A) use of dogs trained to detect drugs and illegal substances;
49	49	7 and
50	50	8 (B) purchase of other equipment and materials used to
51	51	9 enhance the safety of schools.
52	52	10 (2) Combat truancy.
53	53	11 (3) Provide matching grants to schools for school safe haven
54	54	12 programs.
55	55	13 (4) Provide grants for school safety and safety plans. However, a
56	56	14 grant from the fund may not be used to employ a school resource
57	57	15 officer (as defined in IC 20-26-18.2-1) or a law enforcement
58	58	16 officer (as defined in IC 35-31.5-2-185).
59	59	17 (5) Provide educational outreach and training to school personnel
60	60	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 2
61	61	1 concerning:
62	62	2 (A) the identification of;
63	63	3 (B) the prevention of; and
64	64	4 (C) intervention in;
65	65	5 bullying.
66	66	6 (6) Provide educational outreach to school personnel and training
67	67	7 to school safety specialists and school resource officers
68	68	8 concerning:
69	69	9 (A) the identification of;
70	70	10 (B) the prevention of; and
71	71	11 (C) intervention in;
72	72	12 criminal organization activities.
73	73	13 (7) Provide grants for school wide programs to improve school
74	74	14 climate and professional development and training for school
75	75	15 personnel concerning:
76	76	16 (A) alternatives to suspension and expulsion; and
77	77	17 (B) evidence based practices that contribute to a positive
78	78	18 school environment, including classroom management skills,
79	79	19 positive behavioral intervention and support, restorative
80	80	20 practices, and social emotional learning.
81	81	21 (8) Promote student safety through the purchase or equipping
82	82	22 of school buses and special purpose buses with 3-point lap and
83	83	23 shoulder safety belts or other safety equipment for buses that
84	84	24 is proven to substantially improve school bus safety, as
85	85	25 determined by the state school bus committee established by
86	86	26 IC 20-27-3-1.
87	87	27 (b) The fund consists of amounts deposited:
88	88	28 (1) under IC 33-37-9-4; and
89	89	29 (2) from any other public or private source.
90	90	30 (c) The institute shall determine grant recipients from the fund with
91	91	31 a priority on awarding grants in the following order:
92	92	32 (1) A grant for a safety plan.
93	93	33 (2) A safe haven grant requested under section 10 of this chapter.
94	94	34 (3) A safe haven grant requested under section 7 of this chapter.
95	95	35 (d) Except as provided in subsection (e), upon recommendation of
96	96	36 the council, the institute shall establish a method for determining the
97	97	37 maximum amount a grant recipient may receive under this section.
98	98	38 (e) A school corporation selected to participate in the school
99	99	39 intergenerational safety pilot project by the department under
100	100	40 IC 20-20-46-5 is eligible to receive a grant from the fund in an amount
101	101	41 described in IC 20-20-46-4 in addition to a grant requested by the
102	102	42 school corporation under section 6 of this chapter.
103	103	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 3
104	104	1 SECTION 2. IC 5-2-10.1-6, AS AMENDED BY P.L.40-2014,
105	105	2 SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
106	106	3 JULY 1, 2023]: Sec. 6. (a) A school corporation, school corporation
107	107	4 career and technical education school described in IC 20-37-1-1, or
108	108	5 charter school (as defined in IC 20-24-1-4) may receive a grant from
109	109	6 the fund for programs, equipment, services, or activities included in a
110	110	7 safety plan submitted with the application for funds to the institute.
111	111	8 (b) A safety plan submitted under this section must include
112	112	9 provisions for zero (0) tolerance for alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and
113	113	10 weapons on school property and may include planned purchases or
114	114	11 equipping of school buses and special purpose buses with 3-point
115	115	12 lap and shoulder safety belts or, if recommended by the state
116	116	13 school bus committee established by IC 20-27-3-1, other proven
117	117	14 safety equipment. If the institute approves the safety plan and
118	118	15 application, the treasurer of state shall disburse from the fund to the
119	119	16 applicant the amount of the grant certified to the treasurer of state by
120	120	17 the institute.
121	121	18 (c) An accredited nonpublic school may receive a grant from the
122	122	19 fund only for planned purchases or equipping of school buses and
123	123	20 special purpose buses with 3-point lap and shoulder safety belts or,
124	124	21 if recommended by the state school bus committee established by
125	125	22 IC 20-27-3-1, other proven safety equipment. An accredited
126	126	23 nonpublic school may receive a grant under this subsection only if
127	127	24 proposed expenditures are included in a safety plan submitted with
128	128	25 the application for funds to the institute.
129	129	26 SECTION 3. IC 9-13-2-161, AS AMENDED BY P.L.198-2016,
130	130	27 SECTION 163, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
131	131	28 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2023]: Sec. 161. (a) "School bus" means, except
132	132	29 as provided in subsection subsections (b) and (c), a bus used to
133	133	30 transport preschool, elementary, or secondary school children to and
134	134	31 from:
135	135	32 (1) school;
136	136	33 (2) school athletic games or contests; or
137	137	34 (3) other school functions.
138	138	35 (b) "School bus", for purposes of IC 9-19, means a:
139	139	36 (1) bus;
140	140	37 (2) hack;
141	141	38 (3) conveyance;
142	142	39 (4) commercial motor vehicle; or
143	143	40 (5) motor vehicle;
144	144	41 used to transport elementary school (as defined in IC 20-18-2-4) or
145	145	42 high school (as defined in IC 20-18-2-7) students to and from school
146	146	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 4
147	147	1 or to and from school athletic games or contests or other school
148	148	2 functions. The term does not include a privately owned motor
149	149	3 vehicle with a capacity of not more than five (5) passengers that is
150	150	4 used for the purpose of transporting school children to and from
151	151	5 school.
152	152	6 (b) (c) "School bus", for purposes of IC 9-21, means a motor vehicle
153	153	7 owned by a public or governmental agency and operated for the
154	154	8 transportation of children to or from school, including project
155	155	9 headstart, or privately owned and operated for compensation for the
156	156	10 transportation of children to and from school, including project
157	157	11 headstart.
158	158	12 SECTION 4. IC 9-13-2-170.7, AS ADDED BY P.L.107-2006,
159	159	13 SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
160	160	14 JULY 1, 2023]: Sec. 170.7. (a) "Special purpose bus" has the meaning
161	161	15 set forth in IC 20-27-2-10. means, except as provided in subsection
162	162	16 (b), a motor vehicle:
163	163	17 (1) that is designed and constructed for the accommodation of
164	164	18 more than ten (10) passengers;
165	165	19 (2) that:
166	166	20 (A) meets the federal school bus safety requirements under
167	167	21 49 U.S.C. 30125, except the:
168	168	22 (i) stop signal arm required under federal motor vehicle
169	169	23 safety standard (FMVSS) no. 131; and
170	170	24 (ii) flashing lamps required under federal motor vehicle
171	171	25 safety standard (FMVSS) no. 108;
172	172	26 (B) when owned by a school corporation, charter school, or
173	173	27 accredited nonpublic school and used to transport
174	174	28 students, complies with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
175	175	29 Regulations as prescribed by the United States Department
176	176	30 of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety
177	177	31 Administration as set forth in 49 CFR Chapter III
178	178	32 Subchapter B; or
179	179	33 (C) when owned by a school corporation, charter school, or
180	180	34 accredited nonpublic school and used to transport
181	181	35 students, is a motor coach type bus with a capacity of at
182	182	36 least thirty (30) passengers and a gross vehicle weight
183	183	37 rating greater than twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds;
184	184	38 and
185	185	39 (3) that is used by a school corporation, charter school, or
186	186	40 accredited nonpublic school for transportation purposes
187	187	41 appropriate under IC 20-27-9-5.
188	188	42 (b) "Special purpose bus", for purposes of IC 9-19, means a
189	189	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 5
190	190	1 motor vehicle:
191	191	2 (1) that is designed and constructed for the accommodation of
192	192	3 more than ten (10) passengers;
193	193	4 (2) that:
194	194	5 (A) meets the federal school bus safety requirements under
195	195	6 49 U.S.C. 30125, except the:
196	196	7 (i) stop signal arm required under federal motor vehicle
197	197	8 safety standard (FMVSS) no. 131; and
198	198	9 (ii) flashing lamps required under federal motor vehicle
199	199	10 safety standard (FMVSS) no. 108;
200	200	11 (B) when used to transport students, complies with the
201	201	12 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations as prescribed by
202	202	13 the United States Department of Transportation Federal
203	203	14 Motor Carrier Safety Administration as set forth in 49
204	204	15 CFR Chapter III Subchapter B; or
205	205	16 (C) when used to transport students, is a motor coach type
206	206	17 bus with a capacity of at least thirty (30) passengers and a
207	207	18 gross vehicle weight rating greater than twenty-six
208	208	19 thousand (26,000) pounds; and
209	209	20 (3) that is used for transportation purposes by:
210	210	21 (A) a school corporation;
211	211	22 (B) a charter school; or
212	212	23 (C) an accredited nonpublic school.
213	213	24 SECTION 5. IC 9-19-10-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.198-2016,
214	214	25 SECTION 334, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
215	215	26 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2023]: Sec. 1. This chapter does not apply to an
216	216	27 occupant of a motor vehicle who meets any of the following conditions:
217	217	28 (1) For medical reasons should not wear safety belts, provided the
218	218	29 occupant has written documentation of the medical reasons from
219	219	30 a physician.
220	220	31 (2) Is a child required to be restrained by a child restraint system
221	221	32 under IC 9-19-11 or a 3-point lap and shoulder safety belt
222	222	33 under IC 9-19-13.
223	223	34 (3) Is traveling in a commercial or a United States Postal Service
224	224	35 vehicle that makes frequent stops for the purpose of pickup or
225	225	36 delivery of goods or services.
226	226	37 (4) Is a rural carrier of the United States Postal Service and is
227	227	38 operating a vehicle while serving a rural postal route.
228	228	39 (5) Is a newspaper motor route carrier or newspaper bundle hauler
229	229	40 who stops to make deliveries from a vehicle.
230	230	41 (6) Is a driver examiner designated and appointed by the bureau
231	231	42 and is conducting an examination of an applicant for a permit or
232	232	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 6
233	233	1 license under IC 9-24-10.
234	234	2 (7) Is an occupant of a farm truck being used on a farm in
235	235	3 connection with agricultural pursuits that are usual and normal to
236	236	4 the farming operation.
237	237	5 (8) Is an occupant of a motor vehicle participating in a parade.
238	238	6 (9) Is an occupant of the living quarters area of a recreational
239	239	7 vehicle.
240	240	8 (10) Is an occupant of the treatment area of an ambulance (as
241	241	9 defined in IC 16-18-2-13).
242	242	10 (11) Is an occupant of the sleeping area of a tractor.
243	243	11 (12) Is an occupant other than the operator of a vehicle described
244	244	12 in IC 9-20-11-1(1).
245	245	13 (13) Is an occupant other than the operator of a truck on a
246	246	14 construction site.
247	247	15 (14) Is a passenger other than the operator in a cab of a recovery
248	248	16 vehicle who is being transported in the cab because the vehicle of
249	249	17 the passenger is being towed by the recovery vehicle.
250	250	18 (15) Is an occupant other than the operator of a motor vehicle
251	251	19 being used by a public utility in an emergency as set forth in
252	252	20 IC 9-20-6-5.
253	253	21 SECTION 6. IC 9-19-13-5.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
254	254	22 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
255	255	23 1, 2023]: Sec. 5.5. (a) An occupant of a school bus or special
256	256	24 purpose bus that has a 3-point lap and shoulder safety belt
257	257	25 installed at each seating location shall have the 3-point lap and
258	258	26 shoulder safety belt properly fastened about the occupant's body
259	259	27 at all times when the bus is in motion.
260	260	28 (b) A:
261	261	29 (1) person operating a school bus or special purpose bus; and
262	262	30 (2) school corporation, public school, charter school, or
263	263	31 accredited nonpublic school;
264	264	32 are immune from civil or criminal liability for the failure of an
265	265	33 occupant of a school bus or special purpose bus to properly fasten
266	266	34 a 3-point lap and shoulder safety belt as required under subsection
267	267	35 (a).
268	268	36 SECTION 7. IC 10-21-1-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.139-2022,
269	269	37 SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
270	270	38 JULY 1, 2023]: Sec. 2. (a) The Indiana secured school fund is
271	271	39 established to provide:
272	272	40 (1) matching grants to enable school corporations, charter
273	273	41 schools, and accredited nonpublic schools to establish programs
274	274	42 under which a school corporation, charter school, or accredited
275	275	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 7
276	276	1 nonpublic school (or a coalition of schools) may:
277	277	2 (A) employ a school resource officer, employ a law
278	278	3 enforcement officer, or enter into a contract or a memorandum
279	279	4 of understanding with a:
280	280	5 (i) local law enforcement agency;
281	281	6 (ii) private entity; or
282	282	7 (iii) nonprofit corporation;
283	283	8 to employ a school resource officer or a law enforcement
284	284	9 officer;
285	285	10 (B) conduct a threat assessment of the buildings within a
286	286	11 school corporation or the buildings that are operated by a
287	287	12 charter school or accredited nonpublic school;
288	288	13 (C) purchase equipment and technology to:
289	289	14 (i) restrict access to school property; or
290	290	15 (ii) expedite notification of first responders; or
291	291	16 (D) implement a student and parent support services plan as
292	292	17 described in section 4(a)(6) of this chapter; and
293	293	18 (E) purchase or equip school buses and special purpose
294	294	19 buses with 3-point lap and shoulder safety belts or other
295	295	20 safety equipment for buses that is proven to substantially
296	296	21 improve school bus safety, as determined by the state
297	297	22 school bus committee established by IC 20-27-3-1; and
298	298	23 (2) one (1) time grants to enable school corporations, charter
299	299	24 schools, and accredited nonpublic schools with the sheriff for the
300	300	25 county in which the school corporation, charter school, or
301	301	26 accredited nonpublic school is located, to provide the initial set up
302	302	27 costs for an active event warning system.
303	303	28 (b) A school corporation or charter school may use money received
304	304	29 under a matching grant for a purpose listed in subsection (a) to provide
305	305	30 a response to a threat in a manner that the school corporation or charter
306	306	31 school sees fit, including firearms training or other self-defense
307	307	32 training.
308	308	33 (c) The fund shall be administered by the department of homeland
309	309	34 security.
310	310	35 (d) The fund consists of:
311	311	36 (1) appropriations from the general assembly;
312	312	37 (2) grants from the Indiana safe schools fund established by
313	313	38 IC 5-2-10.1-2;
314	314	39 (3) federal grants; and
315	315	40 (4) amounts deposited from any other public or private source.
316	316	41 (e) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from
317	317	42 money in the fund.
318	318	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 8
319	319	1 (f) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not
320	320	2 currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same
321	321	3 manner as other public money may be invested. Interest that accrues
322	322	4 from these investments shall be deposited in the fund.
323	323	5 (g) Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not revert
324	324	6 to the state general fund.
325	325	7 SECTION 8. IC 10-21-1-4, AS AMENDED BY P.L.139-2022,
326	326	8 SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
327	327	9 JULY 1, 2023]: Sec. 4. (a) The board may award a matching grant to
328	328	10 enable a school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic
329	329	11 school (or a coalition of schools applying jointly) to:
330	330	12 (1) establish a program to employ a school resource officer;
331	331	13 (2) employ a law enforcement officer;
332	332	14 (3) provide school resource officer training described in
333	333	15 IC 20-26-18.2-1(c);
334	334	16 (4) conduct a threat assessment;
335	335	17 (5) purchase equipment to restrict access to the school or expedite
336	336	18 the notification of first responders; or
337	337	19 (6) implement a student and parent support services plan in the
338	338	20 manner set forth in IC 20-34-9; or
339	339	21 (7) purchase or equip school buses and special purpose buses
340	340	22 with 3-point lap and shoulder safety belts or other safety
341	341	23 equipment for buses that is proven to substantially improve
342	342	24 school bus safety, as determined by the state school bus
343	343	25 committee established by IC 20-27-3-1;
344	344	26 in accordance with section 2(a) of this chapter.
345	345	27 (b) A matching grant awarded to a school corporation, charter
346	346	28 school, or accredited nonpublic school (or a coalition of schools
347	347	29 applying jointly) may not exceed the lesser of the following during a
348	348	30 two (2) year period beginning on or after May 1, 2013:
349	349	31 (1) The total cost of the program established by the school
350	350	32 corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school (or the
351	351	33 coalition of schools applying jointly).
352	352	34 (2) Except as provided in subsection (d), the following amounts:
353	353	35 (A) Thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) per year, in the case
354	354	36 of a school corporation, charter school, or accredited
355	355	37 nonpublic school that:
356	356	38 (i) has an ADM of at least one (1) and less than one
357	357	39 thousand one (1,001) students; and
358	358	40 (ii) is not applying jointly with any other school corporation,
359	359	41 charter school, or accredited nonpublic school.
360	360	42 (B) Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per year, in the case of a
361	361	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 9
362	362	1 school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic
363	363	2 school that:
364	364	3 (i) has an ADM of more than one thousand (1,000) and less
365	365	4 than five thousand one (5,001) students; and
366	366	5 (ii) is not applying jointly with any other school corporation,
367	367	6 charter school, or accredited nonpublic school.
368	368	7 (C) Seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) per year, in the
369	369	8 case of a school corporation, charter school, or accredited
370	370	9 nonpublic school that:
371	371	10 (i) has an ADM of more than five thousand (5,000) and less
372	372	11 than fifteen thousand one (15,001) students; and
373	373	12 (ii) is not applying jointly with any other school corporation,
374	374	13 charter school, or accredited nonpublic school.
375	375	14 (D) One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per year, in the
376	376	15 case of a school corporation, charter school, or accredited
377	377	16 nonpublic school that:
378	378	17 (i) has an ADM of more than fifteen thousand (15,000); and
379	379	18 (ii) is not applying jointly with any other school corporation,
380	380	19 charter school, or accredited nonpublic school.
381	381	20 (E) One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per year, in the
382	382	21 case of a coalition of schools applying jointly.
383	383	22 (c) Except as provided in subsection (d), the match requirement for
384	384	23 a grant under this chapter is based on the ADM, as follows:
385	385	24 (1) For a school corporation, charter school, or accredited
386	386	25 nonpublic school with an ADM of less than five hundred one
387	387	26 (501) students, the grant match must be twenty-five percent
388	388	27 (25%) of the grant amount described in subsection (b).
389	389	28 (2) For a school corporation, charter school, or accredited
390	390	29 nonpublic school with an ADM of more than five hundred (500)
391	391	30 and less than one thousand one (1,001) students, the grant match
392	392	31 must be fifty percent (50%) of the grant amount described in
393	393	32 subsection (b).
394	394	33 (3) For a school corporation, charter school, or accredited
395	395	34 nonpublic school with an ADM of more than one thousand
396	396	35 (1,000) students or a coalition of schools applying jointly, the
397	397	36 grant match must be one hundred percent (100%) of the grant
398	398	37 amount described in subsection (b).
399	399	38 (d) A school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic
400	400	39 school may be eligible to receive a grant of up to:
401	401	40 (1) one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) if:
402	402	41 (A) the school corporation, charter school, or accredited
403	403	42 nonpublic school receives a grant match of one hundred
404	404	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 10
405	405	1 percent (100%) of the requested grant amount; and
406	406	2 (B) the board approves the grant request; or
407	407	3 (2) for a school corporation, charter school, or accredited
408	408	4 nonpublic school described in subsection (c)(1) or (c)(2), a grant
409	409	5 of up to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) if:
410	410	6 (A) the school corporation, charter school, or accredited
411	411	7 nonpublic school receives a grant match of fifty percent (50%)
412	412	8 of the requested grant amount; and
413	413	9 (B) the board approves the grant request.
414	414	10 (e) A school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic
415	415	11 school may receive only one (1) matching grant under this section each
416	416	12 year.
417	417	13 (f) The board may not award a grant to a school corporation, charter
418	418	14 school, or accredited nonpublic school under this section unless the
419	419	15 school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school is in
420	420	16 a county that has a county school safety commission, as described in
421	421	17 IC 5-2-10.1-10.
422	422	18 SECTION 9. IC 20-27-4-10 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
423	423	19 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
424	424	20 1, 2023]: Sec. 10. (a) This section applies to the purchase of a new
425	425	21 school bus or new special purpose bus by a school corporation,
426	426	22 charter school, or accredited nonpublic school after June 30, 2023.
427	427	23 (b) Whenever a school corporation, charter school, or
428	428	24 accredited nonpublic school seeks to purchase a school bus or
429	429	25 special purpose bus, the governing body, charter school, or
430	430	26 accredited nonpublic school must request information concerning
431	431	27 the cost of purchasing a school bus or special purpose bus equipped
432	432	28 with 3-point lap and shoulder safety belts at each seating location.
433	433	29 (c) After receiving the information under subsection (b), the
434	434	30 governing body, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school
435	435	31 shall hold a public meeting at which public testimony must be
436	436	32 allowed to discuss the costs and benefits of purchasing a new school
437	437	33 bus or special purpose bus with 3-point lap and shoulder safety
438	438	34 belts. After holding a public meeting under this subsection, the
439	439	35 governing body, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school
440	440	36 shall decide by majority vote whether to purchase a school bus or
441	441	37 special purpose bus that is equipped with 3-point lap and shoulder
442	442	38 safety belts.
443	443	39 (d) If a governing body, charter school, or accredited nonpublic
444	444	40 school decides to purchase a school bus or special purpose bus that
445	445	41 is equipped with 3-point lap and shoulder safety belts, the
446	446	42 governing body, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school
447	447	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143 11
448	448	1 may apply for a grant under IC 5-2-10.1-6 or IC 10-21-1-4 to offset
449	449	2 the additional cost of purchasing a school bus or special purpose
450	450	3 bus equipped with 3-point lap and shoulder safety belts.
451	451	4 SECTION 10. IC 34-30-2.1-91.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
452	452	5 CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
453	453	6 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2023]: Sec. 91.5. IC 9-19-13-5.5 (Concerning
454	454	7 failure of an occupant on a school bus or special purpose bus to
455	455	8 properly fasten a safety belt).
456	456	2023 IN 1268—LS 6737/DI 143