GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1582

Short Title:  Seat Belts on School Buses.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Holt; and P. Wilson.
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Referred to:  Judiciary.
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May 3, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THAT SCHOOL BUSES PURCHASED ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 1989, SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH SAFETY BELTS, TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE, AND TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO APRIL 1, 1977, AND TURNED OVER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AS OBSOLETE EQUIPMENT MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR USE AS A MOTOR VEHICLE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. G.S. 115C-240(c) reads as rewritten:
	"(c) The State Board of Education shall from time to time adopt such 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 as it shall deem 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 such bus is constructed and maintained as prescribed in such 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 such other warning devices, fire protective equipment and first aid supplies as may be prescribed for installation upon such buses by the regulation of the State Board of Education. No school bus purchased as new equipment on or after July 1, 1989, shall be operated for the transportation of pupils unless such bus is equipped with safety belts installed to meet federal standards."
Sec. 2. G.S. 143-49(4) reads as rewritten:
	"(4) To have general supervision of all storerooms and stores operated by the State government, or any of its departments, institutions or agencies; to provide for transfer or exchange to or between all State departments, institutions and agencies, or to sell all supplies, materials and equipment which are surplus, obsolete or unused; and to have supervision of inventories of all tangible personal property belonging to the State government, or any of its departments, institutions or agencies; provided that, school buses manufactured before April 1, 1977, and turned over to the Department as obsolete equipment may not be sold or transferred by the Department to the general public for use as a motor vehicle.  All receipts from the transfer or sale of such surplus, obsolete or unused equipment of State departments, institutions and agencies which are supported by appropriations from the general fund, except where such receipts have been anticipated for, or budgeted against the cost of replacements, shall be placed by the Secretary in an  equipment reserve fund from which expenditures may be made only with prior approval of the Director of the Budget. The duties imposed by this subdivision shall not relieve any department, institution or agency of the State government from accountability for equipment, materials, supplies and tangible personal property under its control. Prior to taking any action under this subdivision concerning expenditures from the equipment reserve fund, the Secretary may consult with the Advisory Budget Commission."
Sec. 3. Effective July 1, 1989, all school buses purchased as new equipment shall be equipped with safety belts installed to meet federal standards.
Sec. 4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education $2,847,000 for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and $2,860,000 for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used to cover the additional cost of purchasing school buses equipped with safety belts.
Sec. 5. This act shall become effective July 1, 1989, except for Section 2 which is effective upon ratification.