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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1920 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2295
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Antonio F. D. Cabral
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to require seat belts on school buses.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Antonio F. D. Cabral13th Bristol1/18/2023Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol1/26/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol1/30/2023Paul A. Schmid, III8th Bristol2/1/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/3/2023Carole A. Fiola6th Bristol2/7/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth2/16/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1920 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2295
By Representative Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2295) of
Antonio F. D. Cabral and others for legislation to require seat belts on school buses. Public
Safety and Homeland Security.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to require seat belts on school buses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 7B of Chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following clauses:
3 (19) as of September 1, 2025, every school bus transporting students to or from a public,
4charter or vocational school shall be equipped with a lap-shoulder belt for each permanent
5seating accommodation designed and installed in compliance with United States motor vehicle
6D.O.T. safety standards, which seat belt shall be always fastened about each passenger during
7vehicle operation.
8 (20) as of September 1, 2025, every school bus transporting students to or from a private
9or parochial school shall be equipped with a lap-shoulder belt for each permanent seating
10accommodation designed and installed in compliance with United States motor vehicle D.O.T.
11safety standards, which seat belt shall be fastened about each passenger at all times during
12vehicle operation. 2 of 3
13 SECTION 2. Section 7B of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
14by inserting after the word “practices”, in line 120, the following words:
15 “, which shall include instruction in the use of lap-shoulder belts,”
16 SECTION 3. Section 7L of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
17inserting after the word “seated”, in line 6, the following words: -
18 “And, if traveling in a bus required by this chapter to have lap-shoulder belts, wearing a
19lap-shoulder belt which is properly adjusted and fastened according to the manufacturer’s
20instructions”.
21 SECTION 4. Section 7AA of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
22inserting after the word “bus”, in line 12, the following words: -
23 “, prior to September 1, 2025, unless such school bus is equipped with a lap-shoulder belt
24system”.
25 SECTION 5. Section 4 of chapter 175E, as so appearing, is hereby amended, by adding
26the following subsection:
27 (f) For motor vehicle insurance rates for school buses, the commissioner shall develop
28and promulgate a schedule of appropriate reductions in premium charges to account for the
29decreased risk of injury associated with the installation of a lap-shoulder belt system approved by
30the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration in any such bus so equipped. The
31schedule shall be promulgated prior to September 1, 2025, provided that an owner of any school
32bus so equipped prior to the promulgation of said schedule may apply to the commissioner and
33receive an appropriate reduction in the premium charge. 3 of 3
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