AN ACT to require seat belts at all designated seating positions on school buses and activity buses purchased, leased, OR RENTed by public school units and private schools.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  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. Every school bus that is capable of operating on diesel fuel shall be capable of operating on diesel fuel with a minimum biodiesel concentration of B‑20, as defined in G.S. 143‑58.4. 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.The State Board shall adopt rules that address 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. Every school bus operated for the transportation of pupils shall comply with the rules adopted by the State Board. At a minimum, those rules shall address all of the following:

(1)        Diesel engine requirements. – Every school bus that is capable of operating on diesel fuel shall be capable of operating on diesel fuel with a minimum biodiesel concentration of B‑20, as defined in G.S. 143‑58.4.

(2)        Equipment requirements. – Every school bus shall be equipped with the following:

a.         Adequate heating facilities.

b.         A standard signaling device for giving notice that the bus is about to make a turn.

c.         An alternating flashing stoplight on the rear of the bus.

d.         Type‑two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the State Board may adopt reasonable rules modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law.

e.         Other warning devices, fire protective equipment, and first aid supplies deemed necessary by the State Board.

SECTION 1.(b)  G.S. 115C‑247 reads as rewritten:

§ 115C‑247.  Purchase of activity buses by local boards.

The several local boards of education in the State are hereby authorized and empowered to take title to school buses purchased with local or community funds for the purpose of transporting pupils to and from athletic events and for other local school activity purposes, and commonly referred to as activity buses.

Each local board of education that operates activity buses shall adopt a policy relative to the proper use of the vehicles. The policy shall permit the use of these buses for travel to athletic events during the regular season and playoffs and for travel to other school‑sponsored activities.

The provisions of G.S. 115C‑42 shall be fully applicable to the ownership and operation of such activity school buses. Activity buses may also be used as provided in G.S. 115C‑243.

A local board of education shall only purchase, lease, or rent activity buses equipped with type‑two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the local board of education may adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law.

SECTION 1.(c)  G.S. 115C‑218.40 reads as rewritten:

§ 115C‑218.40.  Charter school transportation.

The charter school may provide transportation for students enrolled at the school. The charter school shall develop a transportation plan so that transportation is not a barrier to any student who resides in the local school administrative unit in which the school is located. The charter school is not required to provide transportation to any student who lives within one and one‑half miles of the school. At the request of the charter school and if the local board of the local school administrative unit in which the charter school is located operates a school bus system, then that local board may contract with the charter school to provide transportation in accordance with the charter school's transportation plan to students who reside in the local school administrative unit and who reside at least one and one‑half miles of the charter school. A local board may charge the charter school a reasonable charge that is sufficient to cover the cost of providing this transportation. Furthermore, a local board may refuse to provide transportation under this section if it demonstrates there is no available space on buses it intends to operate during the term of the contract or it would not be practically feasible to provide this transportation. If a charter school purchases, leases, or rents any school bus or activity bus for the purpose of providing transportation for students, the charter school shall purchase, lease, or rent vehicles equipped with type‑two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the charter school may adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law.

SECTION 1.(d)  G.S. 115C‑238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

(23)    School transportation. – If a regional school purchases, leases, or rents any school bus or activity bus for the purpose of providing transportation for students, the regional school shall purchase, lease, or rent vehicles equipped with type‑two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the regional school may adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law.

SECTION 1.(e)  G.S. 115C‑150.12C is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

(39)    School transportation. – If the board of trustees purchases, leases, or rents any school bus or activity bus for the purpose of providing transportation for students, the board of trustees shall purchase, lease, or rent vehicles equipped with type‑two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the board of trustees may adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law.

SECTION 1.(f)  Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 115C‑548.2.  Transportation.

If a private church school or a school of religious charter purchases, leases, or rents any school bus, as defined in federal motor vehicle safety standards, the private church school or school of religious charter shall purchase, lease, or rent buses equipped with type‑two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the private church school or school of religious charter may adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law.

SECTION 1.(g)  Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 115C‑566.2.  Transportation.

If any qualified nonpublic school purchases, leases, or rents any school bus, as defined in federal motor vehicle safety standards, the qualified nonpublic school shall purchase, lease, or rent buses equipped with type‑two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the qualified nonpublic school may adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law.

SECTION 1.(h)  G.S. 116‑239.8(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

(9a)    If a laboratory school purchases, leases, or rents any school bus or activity bus for the purpose of providing transportation for students, the laboratory school shall purchase, lease, or rent vehicles equipped with type‑two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the laboratory school may adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the 2026‑2027 fiscal year for the purpose of developing policies that public school units may use to implement the requirements of this act.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law. G.S. 115C‑240(c)(2)d., as enacted by this act, applies to all contracts to purchase or lease school buses and activity buses executed after June 30, 2030. This act shall not be construed to require any educational entity to equip buses with seat belts at all designated seating positions if the buses are purchased or leased before June 30, 2030.