VACo spoke on the floor of the House Education Committee’s Subcommittee #2 on January 24 in opposition to HB 224 (Krizek) due to significant local cost concerns. The bill instructs the Virginia Board of Education to make regulations that require each new public school bus purchased to be equipped with a seat belt consisting of a lap belt and shoulder strap or harness in every seat.
While some localities have already begun to voluntarily move in this direction, most localities have not. County respondents to the Commission on Local Government’s fiscal impact analysis estimate that the cost of this measure would range from $258,440 to $20 million, notwithstanding new maintenance costs.
HB 224 failed to report out of subcommittee on a 4-6 vote.
VACo Contact: Chris McDonald, Esq.