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HR 3959 116th Congress House Transportation and Public Works Administrative law and regulatory procedures Child safety and welfare Department of Transportation Education programs funding Elementary and secondary education Employment and training programs Fires Government studies and investigations Manufacturing Motor carriers Motor vehicles Roads and highways Transportation employees Transportation safety and security Worker safety and health

School Bus Safety Act of 2019

Introduced: July 25, 2019 Introduced by: Cohen, Steve Democratic · Tennessee See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 26, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Jul 25, 2019
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jul 25, 2019
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

School Bus Safety Act of 2019

This bill addresses safety features for school buses.

Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement rules requiring school buses to include

  • a three-point safety belt at each designated seating position,
  • a fire suppression system which addresses engine fires,
  • a firewall that prohibits hazardous quantities of gas or flame to pass through the firewall from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment,
  • an automatic emergency braking system,
  • an event data recorder, and
  • an electronic stability control system.

DOT must also establish a grant program to assist local educational agencies to purchase school buses equipped with three-point safety belts or any of the other safety features under this bill and assist them in modifying existing school buses to be equipped with such features.

What's happening now July 26, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 2278 Identical bill School Bus Safety Act of 2019
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3959: School Bus Safety Act of 2019. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-3959/
MLA
"H.R. 3959: School Bus Safety Act of 2019." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-3959/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3959, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-3959/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3959: School Bus Safety Act of 2019](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-3959/)
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