An Act relative to seatbelts on school buses

This bill requires every school bus in Massachusetts to be equipped with a seatbelt for each permanent seat by July 1, 2026. The law applies to all types of schools, including public, private, and parochial institutions, and mandates that the seatbelts meet federal safety standards. Local communities are allowed to choose to install these seatbelts sooner than the statewide deadline. Additionally, the bill clarifies that school operators and districts cannot be held financially liable if a student is injured because they were not wearing a seatbelt.