HB 196

Motor Vehicles - School Buses - Seat Belts

Sponsor: Deni Taveras (District 47B)Committee: Environment and TransportationSubject: Vehicle Laws - Equipment and InspectionsStatus: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (as of Nov 13, 2024)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the public school safety education program to include student instruction concerning school bus safety and the proper use of seat belts on school buses; requiring that school buses purchased after July 1, 2027, be equipped with 3-point seat belts that are accessible to passengers for every seat on the school bus; and prohibiting a civil action for damages based on a failure of the school bus operator to ensure that an occupant of a school bus was wearing a seat belt.

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Testimony (19)

MGA witness list

FAV 6FavorableFWA 6Favorable with amendmentsUNF 5UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Taveras, Deni	MGA	Written (PDF)
FAV	Poland, Kristin	National Transportation Safety Board	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Burns, Melissa	Individual	Position only
FAV	Delegate Taveras, Delegate Taveraslegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Harris, Mrs.	Individual	Position only
FAV	Nunez, Juliana	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Howard County, Staff	Board of Education of Howard County	Written (PDF)
UNF	Watts, Cyndy	Caroline County Commissioners Office	Written (PDF)
UNF	January, Briannalobbyist	Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FWA	Woolums, Johnlobbyist	Maryland Assn. of Boards of Education	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Taveras, Deni	Maryland General Assembly	Written (PDF)
FWA	Nelson, Steve	Maryland School Bus Contractors Association	Written (PDF)
FWA	Thompson, Jeffrey	St Marys County Public Schools Department of Transportation	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Bereano, Brucelobbyist	Individual	Oral
FWA	Fannon, Mary Patlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Alleyne, Akilah	MSDE	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Board of Education of Howard CountyUNF 1

Caroline County Commissioners OfficeUNF 1

Maryland Assn. of Boards of EducationFWA 1

Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)UNF 1

Maryland General AssemblyFWA 1

Maryland School Bus Contractors AssociationFWA 1

MGAFAV 1

MSDEINFO 1

National Transportation Safety BoardFAV 1

St Marys County Public Schools Department of TransportationFWA 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

UNFJanuary, BriannaMaryland Association of Counties (MACo)Registered for: Chamber of Progress

FWAWoolums, JohnMaryland Assn. of Boards of EducationRegistered for: Maryland Association of Boards of Education

FWABereano, BruceRegistered for: 5400 Holiday Drive LLC; Anne Arundel County Fair; Aurora Technical Systems; BWI Airport Fire Rescue Local 1742; BWI Airport Professional Firefighters; BWI Taxi Management, Inc.…

FWAFannon, Mary PatRegistered for: Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland