Skip to content
Congress·In Committee·21 days ago

House Bill Would Require 3-Point Seat Belts on All New School Buses

Also known as: SECURES Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • The Department of Transportation would be required to start the process of making seat belts mandatory on all new school buses. This would apply to all new buses regardless of their size or weight, ensuring every student has the same level of protection.
  • The focus is on "three-point" seat belts, which wrap over the shoulder and across the lap. Safety experts have found that these belts provide the best protection by keeping a child's whole body secure during a crash or sudden stop.
  • The government will also look at new technology, like sensors that alert the driver when a student isn't buckled in. They will study the experiences of states that already require seat belts to see what works best for keeping kids safe.
  • If passed, the Department of Transportation would have 180 days to publish the proposed rules. This move aims to address findings from safety boards that current bus designs without belts allow for too much body movement during accidents.
Infrastructure Transportation

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 9, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Feb 9, 2026

Introduced in House

Related News

2 articles
WRNJ Radio·21 days ago

Gottheimer announces legislation to protect students on school buses

U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer and Senator Cory Booker reintroduced the SECURES Act of 2026, which requires three-point lap-and-shoulder seat belts on all school buses nationwide. The bill aims to ensure every student has the same level of protection regardless of the bus's size or weight.

C+
News 12 New Jersey·21 days ago

New Jersey lawmakers push to improve school bus safety nationwide

Federal lawmakers introduced the SECURES Act on Monday, pushing for a nationwide requirement of three-point seat belt systems on school buses. The move follows years of advocacy by families of crash victims who argue that current federal standards for large buses are dangerously outdated.

C+

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

SECURES Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7428
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
D: 1R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.