Texas school districts are racing toward a May 29 deadline to report on a new state law that will require three-point seat belts on every school bus by September 2029.
Senate Bill 546, passed during the 89th Legislative Session and signed into law last year, removes earlier exemptions and mandates that all Texas school buses — regardless of manufacture date — must be equipped with three-point lap-and-shoulder seat belts.
The measure was enacted in response to a deadly March 2024 crash involving a Hays Consolidated ISD school bus that lacked seat belts and killed a 5-year-old pre-kindergartener.
Full compliance is not required until the start of the 2029-30 school year, but school boards have an immediate task. By May 29, 2026, every district must hold a public meeting to review seat-belt requirements and estimated costs, formally determine whether its budget permits compliance, and — if it cannot afford the upgrades — submit supporting documentation to the Texas Education Agency. The reports must detail current fleet size, existing seat-belt status, and the projected expense of retrofitting or replacing buses.
Districts across the state describe the requirement as an unfunded mandate with significant financial impact. Retrofitting one bus can cost $30,000 to $70,000, while a new bus equipped with three-point belts typically runs between $160,000 and $185,000. Examples include Northside ISD in San Antonio estimating more than $52 million, Plano ISD projecting about $16 million, and Allen ISD facing roughly $20 million. Many boards have already told the public the upgrades are not financially feasible within current budgets without new state funding or grants.
The law does allow districts to claim a budget-limitation exception or skip retrofitting if it would void a manufacturer’s warranty, but they must document those decisions publicly. TEA has issued a detailed compliance guidebook and will collect the reports through its Sentinel system.
Transportation officials say they support the safety goal but are balancing it against other pressing needs as they prepare for the fast-approaching reporting deadline.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
