BUS Act of 2020

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7306 To improve the safety of school buses, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 24, 2020 Mr. CRIST (for himself and Mr. COHEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris- diction of the committee concerned A BILL To improve the safety of school buses, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Best to Use Safety 4 Belts Act of 2020’’ or the ‘‘BUS Act of 2020’’. 5 SEC. 2. SEAT BELT REQUIREMENT FOR SCHOOL BUSES. 6 (a) REQUIREMENT.—Section 30125 of title 49, 7 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 8 following: 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:36 Jul 11, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7306.IH H7306 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7306 IH ‘‘(d) SEAT BELTS REQUIRED.—A person may not 1 manufacture for sale, sell, offer for sale, introduce or de- 2 liver for introduction in interstate commerce, or import 3 into the United States a schoolbus that is not equipped 4 with a seat belt that includes both lap and shoulder belts 5 for each intended passenger. A violation of this subsection 6 shall be treated as a violation of a motor vehicle safety 7 standard prescribed under section 30111 of this sub- 8 chapter.’’. 9 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 10 subsection (a) shall take effect 90 days after the date of 11 enactment of this Act. 12 SEC. 3. SCHOOL BUS SAFETY UPGRADES GRANT PROGRAM. 13 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 14 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans- 15 portation shall establish a program to provide school buses 16 with seat belts and other safety features. 17 (b) GRANT AUTHORITY AND ELIGIBLE RECIPI- 18 ENTS.—In carrying out the program established under 19 subsection (a), the Secretary may make a grant, on a com- 20 petitive basis, to a State educational agency and a local 21 educational agency (as such terms are defined in section 22 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 23 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)). 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:36 Jul 11, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7306.IH H7306 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7306 IH (c) GRANT USES.—A recipient of a grant made under 1 subsection (b) may use grant funds only to— 2 (1) retrofit a school bus with seat belts; or 3 (2) make another safety upgrade to a school 4 bus that demonstrably decreases the risk of injury or 5 death to students in the event of an impact or roll- 6 over, including an upgrade designed to prevent a 7 rollover. 8 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 9 authorized to be appropriated to carry out the program 10 established under subsection (a) $3,000,000,000. 11 (e) TERMINATION.—The program established under 12 subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 2 years 13 after the date on which the program is established. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:36 Jul 11, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7306.IH H7306 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS