SB 304

Under current law, if a motor vehicle is required by federal law to be equipped

with seat belts, the motor vehicle cannot be bought, sold, or leased in Wisconsin

unless the vehicle is so equipped. Federal law does not require school buses weighing

more than 10,000 pounds to be equipped with seat belts for passengers.

Also under current law, the Department of Transportation (DOT) must adopt

and enforce rules, in the interests of safety, to cover the design, construction,

inspection, and operation of school buses. Prior to the use of a motor vehicle as a

school bus, the seller of the school bus must obtain a presale inspection of the school

bus by DOT verifying compliance with DOT's rules relating to design and

construction of school buses, and a copy of the presale inspection report must be

provided to the purchaser. However, the purchaser and seller of the school bus may

agree that the purchaser will obtain the presale inspection. Certain consequences

follow if the presale inspection report shows that the school bus is not in compliance

with DOT's rules relating to design and construction of school buses.

Also under current law, contracts for the transportation of pupils must, by

reference, incorporate DOT's school bus rules.

Under this bill, a school bus that weighs more than 10,000 pounds and that is

manufactured on or after a date approximately six months following the bill's

enactment cannot be bought, sold, or leased in Wisconsin unless the school bus is

equipped with seat belts for passengers that include both pelvic and upper torso

restraints. The bill also requires DOT's rules relating to design and construction of

school buses to include this requirement, which results in inclusion of the

requirement in DOT's school bus presale inspection reports and in contracts for the

transportation of pupils.

Under current law, a school district may provide pupil transportation by

contracting with a common carrier, taxi company, or other party, including a pupil's

parent, or by purchasing and operating a motor vehicle. This bill establishes a grant

program to defray the costs to a school district that provides pupil transportation on

school buses equipped with safety belts. Under the grant program, a school district

may apply to receive a grant equal to 50 percent of the difference between the cost

to the school district to provide pupil transportation on a school bus equipped with

safety belts and the cost to the school district to provide pupil transportation on a

school bus without safety belts.