Oklahoma legislators are considering a new bill aimed at improving the safety of students traveling to and from school. Rep. Judd Strom, R-Copan, has proposed House Bill 1244, which would require all new school buses purchased or contracted by school districts to be equipped with seat belts or harnesses. The bill would apply to vehicles with a capacity of 10 or more passengers starting July 1, according to the Oklahoma House of Representatives release.
If passed, the law would bring Oklahoma in line with states like Texas, California, and New York, where seat belts are already required on school buses. "The addition of seat belts for students riding to school or school events on our school buses would put parents' minds at ease and provide an important layer of security for Oklahoma students," Strom said in the same release. Advocates say the bill is meant to address parental concerns about the safety of their children while traveling to and from school.
The bill is set to be considered during the legislative session beginning Monday next week. If passed, the requirement would only apply to school buses purchased or contracted after July 1, the date the bill would take effect. The emergency effective date would allow updates to the school bus fleet before the start of the new academic year.
Rep. Strom emphasized the bill’s goal: "I believe this is an issue we can all agree on. It is about protecting Oklahoma’s most precious cargo—our children—plain and simple," he said in the Oklahoma House of Representatives release.
