GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

H	2 

HOUSE BILL 355
Committee Substitute Favorable 4/12/99

Short Title:  Seat Belts on New School Buses.	(Public)

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Sponsors:

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Referred to:  

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March 8, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE ALL SCHOOL BUSES AND SCHOOL ACTIVITY BUSES PURCHASED AFTER JULY 1, 1999, TO BE EQUIPPED WITH SEAT BELTS AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO EQUIP NEW SCHOOL BUSES WITH SEAT BELTS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 115C-47(24) reads as rewritten:
"(24)	Purchase of Activity Buses with Local Capital Outlay Tax Funds. – Local boards of education may purchase activity buses with local capital outlay tax funds, and may maintain these buses in the county school bus garage. Reimbursement to the State Public School Fund shall be made for all maintenance costs including labor, gasoline and oil, repair parts, tires and tubes, antifreeze, etc. Labor cost reimbursements and local funds may be used to employ additional mechanics so as to insure that all activity buses owned and operated by local boards of education are maintained in a safe mechanical condition.  Replacement units for activity buses shall be financed with local funds.  Activity buses purchased after July 1, 1999, shall be equipped with seat belts for all passengers."
Section 2.  G.S. 115C-240(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	The State Board of Education shall from time to time adopt any rules and regulations with reference to the construction, equipment, color, and maintenance of school buses, the number of pupils who may be permitted to ride at the same time upon any bus, and the age and qualifications of drivers of school buses that it deems to be desirable for the purpose of promoting safety in the operation of school buses. No school bus shall be operated for the transportation of pupils unless that bus is constructed and maintained as prescribed in the applicable regulations and is equipped with adequate heating facilities, a standard signaling device for giving due notice that the bus is about to make a turn, an alternating flashing stoplight on the front of the bus, an alternating flashing stoplight on the rear of the bus, and any other warning devices, fire protective equipment and first aid supplies as may be prescribed for installation on the buses by rules issued by the State Board of Education.  All buses purchased after July 1, 1999, shall be equipped with seat belts for all passengers."
Section 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of one million nine hundred thousand dollars ($1,900,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year to equip all school buses purchased after July 1, 1999, with seat belts for passengers.
Section 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1999.