GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1009

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

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Sponsors: Representatives Hightower; Yongue and Boyd-McIntyre.

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Referred to:  Transportation.

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May 3, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE ALL SCHOOL BUSES AND SCHOOL ACTIVITY BUSES PURCHASED AFTER JULY 1, 1995, 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 are authorized to purchase activity buses with local capital outlay tax funds, and are authorized to maintain these buses in the county school bus garage. Reimbursement to the State Public School Fund shall be made for all maintenance cost 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, 1995, shall be equipped with seat belts for all passengers."
Sec. 2.  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.  All buses purchased after July 1, 1995, shall be equipped with seat belts for all passengers."
Sec. 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of nine hundred eighty-six thousand dollars ($986,000) for the 1995-96 fiscal year and the sum of nine hundred eighty-six thousand dollars ($986,000) for the 1996-97 fiscal year to equip all school buses purchased after July 1, 1995, with seat belts for all passengers.
Sec. 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1995.