School bus seat belt law advances at the Lege

Amid the flurry of activity at the Capitol this week, yesterday the Texas Senate approved SB 693, which would require that new school buses are outfitted with three-point seat belts. The provision comes courtesy of state Sen. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston), and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. Garcia’s office pointed out in a Wednesday press release that the law simply holds buses to the same standards as “all motor coaches nationwide.” Furthermore, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends all school buses be equipped with the 30-year-old technology. “New buses equipped with seat belts will save lives,” Garcia said. “We can’t wait any longer.”