Family Law - Incapacitated or Protected Persons - Petition for Visitation
HB 134 would expand Maryland’s school bus safety requirements in two main ways. First, it would require the public school safety education program to include instruction on school bus safety and the proper use of seat belts on school buses. Second, it would require school buses purchased on or after July 1, 2027 and registered in Maryland to be equipped with accessible 3-point seat belts for each seat.
The bill also amends Maryland’s motor vehicle seat belt laws to add a specific rule barring civil actions against a school bus operator, school, school district, or municipality based solely on a failure to ensure that a school bus occupant was wearing a seat belt. The bill keeps existing seat belt enforcement and civil-liability provisions in place for other vehicles and circumstances, including the general rule that seat belt nonuse is not evidence of negligence or contributory negligence in most civil cases. The bill would take effect October 1, 2025.
HB 134 would amend the Education Article and Transportation Article of the Maryland Code. It would create a new educational requirement for school safety programs, add a new equipment mandate for newly purchased school buses, and narrow potential civil liability related to school bus seat belt use. It would also affect school bus purchasers, school systems, bus operators, and local governments by imposing future procurement and safety-training obligations while limiting certain lawsuits.
The bill appears generally safety-oriented, with its core purpose focused on protecting students on school buses and improving awareness of seat belt use. Because no committee transcript or recorded votes were provided, there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available materials. The structure of the bill suggests a preventive public-safety approach rather than a punitive one.
The main point of contention is likely the balance between student safety and liability exposure. Supporters would likely favor the added seat belt instruction and the requirement for 3-point belts on future school buses as a child-safety measure. Potential opponents may focus on the cost of retrofitting or purchasing compliant buses, implementation logistics for school systems, and the bill’s explicit bar on civil actions against school bus operators, schools, school districts, or municipalities for failing to ensure seat belt use. Another possible issue is that the bill applies only to buses purchased after a future date, leaving existing buses unchanged.