Require Seat Belts on School Buses.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1204

Short Title: Require Seat Belts on School Buses. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Greenfield, Willis, and Logan (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
May 5, 2026
*H1204-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REQUIRE SE AT BELTS AT ALL DESI GNATED SEATING POSITIONS ON 2
SCHOOL BUSES AND ACT IVITY BUSES PURCHASED, LEASED, OR RENTED BY 3
PUBLIC SCHOOL UNITS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 115C-240(c) reads as rewritten: 6
"(c) The State Board of Education shall from time to time adopt such rules and regulations 7
with reference to the construction, equipment, color, and maintenance of school buses, the 8
number of pupils who may be permitt ed to ride at the same time upon any bus, and the age and 9
qualifications of drivers of school buses as it shall deem to be desirable for the purpose of 10
promoting safety in the operation of school buses. Every school bus that is capable of operating 11
on diesel fuel shall be capable of operating on diesel fuel with a minimum biodiesel concentration 12
of B-20, as defined in G.S. 143-58.4. No school bus shall be operated for the transportation of 13
pupils unless such bus is constructed and maintained as prescribed i n such regulations and is 14
equipped with adequate heating facilities, a standard signaling device for giving due notice that 15
the bus is about to make a turn, an alternating flashing stoplight on the front of the bus, an 16
alternating flashing stoplight on the rear of the bus, and such other warning devices, fire 17
protective equipment and first aid supplies as may be prescribed for installation upon such buses 18
by the regulation of the State Board of Education.The State Board shall adopt rules that address 19
the construction, equipment, color, and maintenance of school buses, the number of pupils who 20
may be permitted to ride at the same time upon any bus, and the age and qualifications of drivers 21
of school buses. Every school bus operated for the transportation of pupils shall comply with the 22
rules adopted by the State Board. At a minimum, those rules shall address all of the following: 23
(1) Diesel engine requirements. – Every school bus that is capable of operating 24
on diesel fuel shall be capable of operating on diesel fuel with a minimum 25
biodiesel concentration of B-20, as defined in G.S. 143-58.4. 26
(2) Equipment requirements. – Every school bus shall be equipped with the 27
following: 28
a. Adequate heating facilities. 29
b. A standard signaling devi ce for giving notice t hat the bus is about to 30
make a turn. 31
c. An alternating flashing stoplight on the rear of the bus. 32
d. Type-two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable 33
regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating 34
positions, except the State Board may adopt reasonable rules 35
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 1204-First Edition
modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety 1
restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and 2
the use of other federally approved restraint or securement system s 3
where required by federal law. 4
e. Other warning devices, fire protective equipment, and first aid 5
supplies deemed necessary by the State Board." 6
SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 115C-247 reads as rewritten: 7
"§ 115C-247. Purchase of activity buses by local boards. 8
The several local boards of education in the State are hereby authorized and empowered to 9
take title to school buses purchased with local or community funds for the purpose of transporting 10
pupils to and from athletic events and for other local school activ ity purposes, and commonly 11
referred to as activity buses. 12
Each local board of education that operates activity buses shall adopt a policy relative to the 13
proper use of the vehicles. The policy shall permit the use of these buses for travel to athletic 14
events during the regular season and playoffs and for travel to other school-sponsored activities. 15
The provisions of G.S. 115C-42 shall be fully applicable to the ownership and operation of 16
such activity school buses. Activity buses may also be used as provided in G.S. 115C-243. 17
A local board of education shall only purchase, lease, or rent activity buses equipped with 18
type-two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 19
U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the local board of education may adopt 20
reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint 21
systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved 22
restraint or securement systems where required by federal law." 23
SECTION 1.(c) G.S. 115C-218.40 reads as rewritten: 24
"§ 115C-218.40. Charter school transportation. 25
The charter school may provide transportation for students enrolled at the school. The charter 26
school shall develop a transportation plan so that transportation is not a barrier to any student 27
who resides in the local school administrative unit in which the school is located. The charter 28
school is not required to provide transportation to any student who lives within one and one-half 29
miles of the school. At the request of the charter school and if the local board of the local school 30
administrative unit in which the charter school is located operates a school bus system, then that 31
local board may contract with the charter school to provide transportation in accordance with the 32
charter school's transportation plan to students who reside in the local school administrative unit 33
and who reside at least one and one -half miles of the charter school. A local board may charge 34
the charter school a reasonable charge that is sufficient to cover the cost of providing this 35
transportation. Furthermore, a local board may refuse to provide transportation under this section 36
if it demonstrates there is no available space on buses it intends to operate during the term of the 37
contract or it would not be practically feasible to provide this transportation. If a charter school 38
purchases, leases, or rents any school bus or activity bus for the purpose of providing 39
transportation for students, the charter school shall purchase , lease, or rent vehicles equipped 40
with type-two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted 41
under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions, except the charter school may adopt 42
reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint 43
systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally approved 44
restraint or securement systems where required by federal law." 45
SECTION 1.(d) G.S. 115C-238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 46
"(23) School transportation. – If a regional school purchases, leases, or rents any 47
school bus or activity bus for the purpose of providing transportation for 48
students, the regional school shall purchase, lease, or rent vehicles equipped 49
with type-two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable 50
regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 1204-First Edition Page 3
positions, except the regional school may adopt reasonable policies modifying 1
this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the 2
transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally 3
approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law." 4
SECTION 1.(e) G.S. 115C-150.12C is amended by adding a new subdivision to 5
read: 6
"(39) School transportation. – If the board of trustees purchases, leases, or rents any 7
school bus or activity bus for the purpose of providing transportation for 8
students, the board of trustees shall purchase, lease, or rent vehicles equipped 9
with type -two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable 10
regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating 11
positions, except the board of trustees may adopt reasonable policies 12
modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety restraint 13
systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other 14
federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal 15
law." 16
SECTION 1.(f) Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 17
adding a new section to read: 18
"§ 115C-548.2. Transportation. 19
If a private church school or a school of religious charter purchases, leases, or rents any school 20
bus, as defined in federal motor vehicle safety stand ards, the private church school or school of 21
religious charter shall purchase, lease, or rent buses equipped with type-two seat belt assemblies 22
that are compliant with all applicable regulati ons adopted under 49 U.S.C. § 30111 at all 23
designated seating positions, except the private church school or school of religious charter may 24
adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect to integrated child safety 25
restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, and the use of other federally 26
approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal law." 27
SECTION 1.(g) Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 28
adding a new section to read: 29
"§ 115C-566.2. Transportation. 30
If any qualified nonpublic school purchases , leases, or rents any school bus, as defined in 31
federal motor vehicle safety standards, the qualified nonpublic school shall purchase , lease, or 32
rent buses equipped with type-two seat belt assemblies that are compliant with all applicable 33
regulations adopted under 49 U.S.C . § 30111 at all designated seating positions , except the 34
qualified nonpublic school may adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with 35
respect to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with disabilities, 36
and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement systems where required by federal 37
law." 38
SECTION 1.(h) G.S. 116-239.8(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 39
"(9a) If a laboratory school purchases, leases, or rents any school bus or activity bus 40
for the purpose of providing transportation for students, the laboratory school 41
shall purchase, lease, or rent vehicles equipped with type -two seat belt 42
assemblies that are compliant with all applicable regulations adopted under 49 43
U.S.C. § 30111 at all designated seating positions , except the laboratory 44
school may adopt reasonable policies modifying this requirement with respect 45
to integrated child safety restraint systems, the transportation of students with 46
disabilities, and the use of other federally approved restraint or securement 47
systems where required by federal law." 48
SECTION 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 49
Public Instruction the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the 2026-2027 fiscal year for the 50
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 4 House Bill 1204-First Edition
purpose of developing policies that public school units may use to implement the requireme nts 1
of this act. 2
SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law. G.S. 115C-240(c)(2)d., as 3
enacted by this act, applies to all contracts to purchase or lease school buses and activity buses 4
executed after June 30, 2030. This act shall not be construed to require any educational entity to 5
equip buses with seat belts at all designated seating positions if the buses are purchased or leased 6
before June 30, 2030. 7