SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE, No. 1240
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
The Senate Education Committee favorably reports a Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 1240.
This committee substitute expands the duties of the Office of School Bus Safety. Under the committee substitute, the office is tasked with reviewing the laws, rules, and regulations governing school bus safety, and recommending legislative and executive action to the Legislature and the Commissioner of Education. The committee substitute also requires the office to identify the status of implementation of past recommendations for additional action or oversight made by any entity formed pursuant to law or executive action to review and improve school bus safety.
Current law requires the Department of Education to submit an initial report to the Governor and to the Legislature on the activities of the Office of School Bus Safety. The committee substitute requires the initial report to additionally include recommendations for legislative and executive action.
Additionally, under current law, the office is required to annually submit a report to the commissioner after the submission of the initial report. The report currently requires the office to offer specific recommendations concerning the oversight and management of school bus safety issues within the department’s purview. The committee substitute requires that this report also be submitted to the Legislature. The report is to additionally include:
(1) recommendations for legislative and executive action to strengthen school bus safety laws and regulations;
(2) the status of implementing past recommendations for legislative and executive action concerning school bus safety from any entity formed pursuant to law or executive action, if applicable;
(3) a review of student transportation safety information, records, and data; and
(4) services provided and enforcement actions taken by the office.