1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1847 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2601
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Mindy Domb
_________________
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 promoting passenger safety on motorcoaches.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/15/2025Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/15/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1847 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2601
By Representative Domb of Amherst, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2601) of
Mindy Domb and Joanne M. Comerford relative to passenger safety on motorcoaches. Public
Safety and Homeland Security.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act promoting passenger safety on motorcoaches.
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 1 of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Mobile telephone” the
3following definition:-
4 “Motorcoach”, a bus characterized by an elevated passenger deck located over a baggage
5compartment, which transports passengers for hire as a business between fixed and regular
6termini or under a charter license. The term “motorcoach” shall not include city buses operated
7by a public transit system or school buses.
8 SECTION 2. Section 13A of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
9inserting after the words “vanpool vehicle”, in lines 2 and 3, the following word:- , motorcoach
10 SECTION 3. Said section 13A of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further
11amended by inserting before the word “buses”, in line 22, the following words:- standard city. 2 of 2
12 SECTION 4. Said section 13A of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further
13amended by adding the following paragraph:-
14 The operator of a motorcoach service shall include in its ticket purchase agreement a
15provision stating that the passenger agrees to wear a seatbelt when seated while the motorcoach
16is in motion. The operator of a motorcoach service shall require its drivers to make an
17announcement to the passengers prior to the motorcoach’s departure instructing the passengers to
18wear seatbelts when seated while the motorcoach is in motion.
19 SECTION 5. The department of public utilities shall conduct a public information
20campaign to educate the public on the importance of wearing a seatbelt while riding in a
21motorcoach, as defined in section 1 of chapter 90 of the General Laws, and the safety risks of not
22wearing a seatbelt on a motorcoach.