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Bill HD.5998
SECTION 1. Chapter 25 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 12F the following section:-
Section 12F½. (a) The transportation division shall establish a grant program to be known as the Massachusetts school bus safety technology grant program to facilitate efficient and effective implementation and installation of school bus sensors pursuant to clause (19) of the first paragraph of section 7B of chapter 90 by school districts, as defined in section 2 of chapter 70.
(b) The grant program established in subsection (a) shall allow school districts to apply for funding to: (i) fit school buses operated by a school district, whether owned or leased, with sensors to determine the presence of objects in the front or in the back of the school bus required pursuant to clause (19) of the first paragraph of section 7B of chapter 90; or (ii) offset additional costs charged by a contractor for school bus transportation resulting from safety equipment upgrades required by said clause (19) of said first paragraph of said section 7B.
(c) Subject to appropriation, the transportation division shall allocate funding necessary to support the implementation and evaluation of the grant program.
(d) The transportation division shall prepare an annual report that shall include, but not be limited to: (i) an evaluation of the grant program’s effectiveness in the installation of school bus sensors; (ii) analysis of the applicants that apply for grants pursuant to subsection (b); and (iii) any recommendations for improving or the expansion of the installation of school bus sensors in the commonwealth. The annual report shall be submitted, not later than December 31 of each year of the program, to the chairs of the joint committee on transportation, the chairs of the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate.
SECTION 2. The first paragraph of section 7B of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “year” in line 137, the second time it appears, the following words:- ; (19) Each school bus shall be equipped with a sensor to determine the presence of objects in the front or in the back of the school bus. The design and installation of the sensors shall comply with the rules and regulations promulgated by the department of public utilities transportation oversight division established in section 12F of chapter 25.
SECTION 3. Regulations promulgated by the department of public utilities transportation oversight division pursuant to clause (19) of the first paragraph of section 7B of chapter 90 of the General Laws shall be promulgated within 180 days of the effective date of this act.
SECTION 4. Section 2 of this act shall not take effect until 360 days after regulations are promulgated pursuant to section 3.
SECTION 5. This act shall be known and may be cited as “Lens’ Law”, named after Lens Arthur Joseph.
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