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S 2539 117th Congress Senate Transportation and Public Works

School Bus Safety Act of 2021

Introduced: July 29, 2021 Introduced by: Duckworth, Tammy Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) 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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 29, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Jul 29, 2021
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

School Bus Safety Act of 2021

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 29, 2021

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 3381 Identical bill School Bus Safety Act of 2021
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 2539: School Bus Safety Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-2539/
MLA
"S. 2539: School Bus Safety Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-2539/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 2539, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-2539/.
Markdown link
[S. 2539: School Bus Safety Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-2539/)
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