SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3858

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 17, 2025

     The Senate Education Committee favorably reports Senate Bill No. 3858.

     This bill requires school bus drivers, school bus aides, and any other individual who works, and is otherwise responsible for the safety of students, on a school bus transporting one or more students with disabilities to call the 911 emergency telephone service for assistance in the event of a potential life-threatening emergency on the school bus.  A school bus personnel member is required to report the call to the Office of Special Education in the Department of Education.  Under the bill, a board of education, or a school bus contractor providing pupil transportation services under contract with a board of education, that employs a school bus personnel member, as well as the office, is to maintain a record of the calls. 

     A board of education, or a school bus contractor, as applicable, is required to ensure that certain training related to school bus safety and interacting with students with disabilities are provided to each school bus personnel member who works on a school bus transporting students with disabilities.  Under current law, these training programs are required to be administered to school bus drivers and school bus aides.  The bill expands these programs to cover all other school bus personnel members who work, and are responsible for the safety of students, on a school bus transporting one or more students with disabilities.  A board of education or school bus contractor that does not properly administer these training programs is to be subject to applicable penalties established under current law. 

     The bill provides that the parent or guardian of a student with disabilities, who believes that a school bus personnel member did not properly call the 911 emergency telephone service in the event of a potential life-threatening emergency, may file a complaint with the Office of Special Education within the Department of Education.  A school bus personnel member who is found by the office to have violated the provisions concerning 911 emergency notification and follow-up reporting requirements is to be liable for certain civil penalties. 

     The bill also requires a school bus that transports one or more students with disabilities to be equipped with: 1) a video camera on the interior of the school bus to monitor student safety while the students are being transported; 2) a global positioning system that provides information about the location and speed of each school bus in real time; and 3) two-way communications equipment, which may include a cellular or other wireless telephone.  Under the bill, any video footage collected from a video camera and any data collected from a global positioning system is to be retained for not less than 180 days from the date it was recorded. 

     Finally, the bill requires that each in-terminal school bus inspection conducted by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission is to provide for the inspection of the equipment required to be installed on school buses pursuant to the bill.