NJ A132

School bus personnel working with students with disabilities must call 911 during potential life-threatening emergencies and report these calls to the Office of Special Education within the Department of Education.

Parents or guardians may file complaints with the Office of Special Education if they believe personnel failed to call 911 during an emergency, with civil penalties of $5,000 for first offense, $10,000 for second offense, and $25,000 for third and subsequent offenses.

School buses transporting students with disabilities must be equipped with interior video cameras, GPS systems providing real-time location and speed data, and two-way communication equipment such as cellular phones.

Video footage and GPS data from these buses must be retained for at least 180 days and are exempt from public records disclosure requirements.

Mandatory safety training programs for school bus personnel are expanded to include recognizing behaviors indicating potential life-threatening emergencies, with boards of education and contractors facing fines up to $15,000 for failing to properly train personnel.