Bill > HB1536

This bill proposes an amendment to Arkansas school bus transportation funding regulations that would withhold state transportation funding from school districts that fail to either place a ballot proposal about passenger restraint systems or purchase, install, and maintain such systems in their newly purchased school buses. Specifically, the bill adds a new subsection to existing law that mandates that if a school district does not take action to implement passenger restraint systems (such as seat belts) in their school buses, the state will suspend their transportation funding until they comply. The funding withholding is a punitive measure designed to incentivize school districts to prioritize student safety by ensuring that new school buses are equipped with passenger restraint systems. The bill leaves the decision to implement these safety systems to individual school districts, but creates a financial consequence for inaction, effectively encouraging districts to proactively address student transportation safety.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=hb1536&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R