NJ A4479

School bus personnel (drivers, aides, and others responsible for student safety) must call 911 during potential life-threatening emergencies and report the call to the Department of Education, with civil penalties of $5,000 for a first offense, $10,000 for a second offense, and $25,000 for third and subsequent offenses for violations.

School buses transporting students with disabilities with special transportation requirements must be equipped with interior video cameras, real-time GPS tracking systems, and two-way communications equipment such as cellular phones.

Training programs for school bus personnel on interacting with students with disabilities must be expanded to include recognizing behaviors or signs indicating potential life-threatening emergencies, with training administered twice per calendar year.

The Commissioner of Education must update the training program within 180 days of enactment, and employers must administer training to existing personnel within 90 days of the update or before new personnel begin working on buses transporting students with disabilities.

Appropriations from the General Fund to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission will fund the purchase and installation of required safety equipment, with boards of education and contractors eligible to apply for these funds.